Differences Between Chewing Gum and Bubble Gum

Written by Bahar Madani

We chew chewing gum, and we blow bubbles out of bubble gum, apart from that, what are the other differences between these two products?

Chewing gum background information:

Chewing gum goes as far back as the Ancient Greeks and the Mayans; they chewed natural plants like masticas and chicle to refresh their breath. Packaged chewing gum has been available in shops since the 1800s. Chewing gum generally lasts a while, releasing flavor slowly over time, this way it is more enjoyable. There’s also chewing gum which helps to keep your teeth clean.We are not supposed to swallow chewing gum as it can stay in your system for a very long time.

Bubble Gum background information:

Bubble gum was first in our shops in 1906 but due to the imperfection of the ingredients, it was not very popular. When bubble gum was perfected, it finally became more popular to mainly teenagers. The reason for this is because it stretches more than chewing gum, and it doesn’t leave a mess on your face if a bubble bursts.

what exactly is the composition of” gum base”?

This is a well-kept secret by manufacturers who acquired the right not to mention the detailed composition of their products on the label. If we look at the ingredient list of any pack of gum we find sweeteners, flavouring, colouring and “gum base”. Just like that, with no further details! However, we know that fans of chewing gum typically chew on mixtures of elastomers, polymers, resins and paraffin, in different combinations. The most common mixture includes synthetic polymers, like styrene-butadiene rubber or polyethylene, with a bit of natural latex.

But the investigation doesn’t stop and chewing gum manufacturers continue to try to improve their products. Actually, large companies maintain laboratories, only to find recipes that are more pleasant to chew, have a better texture and release flavour for longer. The ingredient that makes gum stretch is the same ingredient that makes it chewy-gum base, a "non-nutritive, non-digestible, water-insoluble" compound that is made from a mixture of a resin, an emulsifier , an elastomer like artificial rubber or natural latex and other ingredients.

Bubble gum has a few ingredients which make it thicker so that it will stretch and hold together when bubbles are blown. Both bubble gum and chewing gum are normally sweetened and many companies add a type of flavoring to their gum. Some companies have added extra ingredients to their gum like caffeine, which helps people to stay awake easier.

Chewing gum is no longer just a type of candy or a fun way to release sugar and our favourite flavours in our mouth. No, now it’s also a transport system for other chemical substances.There are chewing gums to help you quit smoking, chewing gums impregnated with amorphous calcium phosphate to help maintain healthy teeth, chewing gums with caffeine and chewing gums with vitamins. And who knows if, in a not too distant future, chewing gum can be used as a way of applying medicinal drugs?

Sources:

“The Chemistry of Chewing Gum.” Aquimicadascoisas, www.aquimicadascoisas.org/en/?episodio=the-chemistry-of-chewing-gum.

Marrero, Christian. “Which Bubblegum Brand Produces The Biggest Bubble.” Prezi, 28 May 2014, prezi.com/8bvhbloymdp4/which-bubblegum-brand-produces-the-biggest-bubble/#:~:text=The%20ingredient%20that%20makes%20gum,natural%20latex%20and%20other%20ingredients.

Ward, Luke. “Differences Between Chewing Gum And Bubble Gum.” Thefactsite, www.thefactsite.com/differences-between-chewing-gum-and/#:~:text=Well%20the%20main%20difference%20with,of%20flavoring%20to%20their%20gum.