What is chewing gum made of?
Originally, chewing gum was made from the latex sap of the sapodilla tree (native to Central America). This sap was called chicle. Other natural gum bases may be used, such as sorva and jelutong. Sometimes beeswax or paraffin wax is used as a gum base. After World War II, chemists learned to make synthetic rubber, which came to replace most natural rubber in chewing gum (e.g., polyethylene and polyvinyl acetate). The last U.S. manufacturer to use chicle is Glee Gum. In addition to the gum base, chewing gum contains sweeteners, flavorings, and softeners. Softeners are ingredients such as glycerin or vegetable oil that are used to blend the other ingredients and help prevent the gum from becoming hard or stiff. Neither natural nor synthetic latex are readily degraded by the digestive system. However, if you swallow your gum it will almost certainly be excreted, usually in pretty much the same condition as when you swallowed it. However, frequent gum swallowing may contribute to the forma
Up until WWII, chewing gum was made of a substance called chicle mixed with flavorings. Chicle is a latex sap that comes from the sapodilla tree (native to Central America). In other words, chicle is a form of rubber. Just like rubber bands don’t dissolve when you chew them, neither does chicle. Chicle is a good bit softer than rubber bands and happens to soften more when it gets warm in your mouth. If you freeze chicle with ice, it gets very stiff — chicle hardens and softens over a pretty narrow temperature range. Gum bases (either natural or artificial) are mixed with sugar and other flavorings to make chewing gum. When you chew it, the rubber releases these flavorings into your mouth.
Up until WWII, chewing gum was made of a substance called chicle mixed with flavorings. Chicle is a latex sap that comes from the sapodilla tree (native to Central America). In other words, chicle is a form of rubber. Just like rubber bands don’t dissolve when you chew them, neither does chicle. Chicle is a good bit softer than rubber bands and happens to soften more when it gets warm in your mouth. If you freeze chicle with ice, it gets very stiff — chicle hardens and softens over a pretty narrow temperature range. After WWII, chemists learned how to make artificial gum bases to replace chicle. These gum bases are essentially synthetic rubbers that have the same temperature profile as chicle. Gum bases (either natural or artificial) are mixed with sugar and other flavorings to make chewing gum. When you chew it, the rubber releases these flavorings into your mouth.
