Chewing gum

Description of product

Chewing gum is an elastic product that is composed mostly of powdered sugar and glucose syrup. The characteristic chewy, non-consumable mass comprises approximately twenty per cent of the gum. This mass is composed of chicle gum (the thickened sap of the sapodilla tree, found in Central America) or of synthetic elastic compounds.

As a rule, the sugar in the product has been dissolved after fifteen minutes of chewing. The residual chewy mass absorbs saliva and becomes much greater in size. It also becomes soft, elastic and chewable for a long time.

• See also: sweets

Possible application of gene technology

Applications of gene technology are possible in the following ingredients that commonly are found in chewing gum. However, the extent to which a particular product is affected by these possibilities cannot be stated with certainty:

• glucose syrup, grape sugar (dextrose)
• in the case of low-sugar or sugar-free products: sorbitol, isomalt, maltitol, polydextrose
• sugar substitutes: aspartame, thaumatin
• thickening agent cellulose
• enzyme laccase