If you ask any passer-by what America is famous for, he will probably name three things - jeans, McDonald's and chewing gum. And this is absolutely true. That's just about the last celebrity we will lead our story. What and how is chewing gum made of, is it really useful and is it possible to make it yourself? And you will also learn some interesting facts about the sweet and delicious smelling gum that has captivated adults and children around the world.
What to chew on?
Today it is difficult to say how long ago and where exactly chewing gum appeared. Our ancestors discovered it for themselves several thousand years ago. True, she did not look at all like her contemporary, but nevertheless she brought considerable benefits. Mostly tree resin was used as chewing gum. She helped to clean the teeth from plaque, freshened the breath and disinfected the oral cavity, because the resin is an excellent antiseptic. In northernregions of our country, especially in villages, many residents to this day are well aware of what sulfur is (resin of deciduous trees). Some peoples preferred wax, others, such as the Mayan tribes, preferred the dried juice of a rubber tree. It was from him that the generation of modern chewing gums went. Surely each of us will be interested to know how gum is made today.
A bit of history
In the middle of the 19th century, John Curtis made the first attempt to produce chewing gum from tree resin, but the business failed and soon the enterprise closed. But Thomas Adams managed to quite adequately realize the idea of his predecessor. But he started making chewing gum from rubber with the addition of licorice flavor. After only a few decades, the gum acquired a pleasant taste and aroma, it was wrapped in a beautiful wrapper and widely popularized among the inhabitants of America. Needless to say, she quickly gained recognition and soon scattered around the world.
Fun fact:
Chewing gum is considered a symbol of America thanks to the world-famous Wrigley company. It was she who decided to present to everyone who crossed the border of the United States, a chewing plate as a gift (well, for the purposes of self-promotion, of course)
What are we chewing?
So how is gum made today? The basis for the production are synthetic materials, which include a mixture of plasticizers, resins, elastomers and other additives,which are often derived from petroleum products. Simply put, it's rubber and plastic. The mixture is thoroughly cleaned, and then a sweetener is added - sugar or dextrose, various flavors, flavors and, of course, food coloring. The mass is heated and thoroughly kneaded to become homogeneous and elastic.
How is chewing gum made in the future? It is driven through a special press, which forms long rubber strips, and a special device cuts them into portions. After the gum is wrapped in a beautiful wrapper, packaged in boxes, and in this form it will go on store shelves.
Fun fact:
Regular chewing gum saved a plane from crashing in 1911. With her help, the resourceful British closed up the resulting hole in the engine and the tragedy was avoided. The news spread all over the world. Not a bad ad for chewing gum, is it?
Should I believe the advertisement?
Surely, having learned about what chewing gum is made of, you will have a question about whether such a product is really useful, because there are so many additives in it, and chewing gum is probably not he althy. Perhaps someone knows if it is possible and how to make chewing gum at home?
The benefits and harms of chewing gum have been debated for many years. Like any product, it has its advantages: it is really capable of cleaning plaque from tooth enamel. And its disadvantages: the manufacturer may not be entirely honest and add additives hazardous to he alth to the delicacy. When youput a chewing plate in your mouth, your brain thinks it's time for lunch and starts preparing the body for eating. Yes, but food does not enter the stomach, and this can easily provoke gastritis or an ulcer.
But I wonder what the Orbit chewing gum is made of? After all, dentists around the world recommend! To be honest to the end, such chewing gum will not protect your teeth, but will simply destroy the enamel less than any other. Its composition differs only in one thing - the use of a sugar substitute. It is sugar that is added to the bulk of chewing gums, and it has a bad effect on tooth enamel.
Fun fact:
Pink is often considered to be the color of chewing gum because it is a symbol of youth, tenderness and love. But in fact, the first gum was pink only because it was the only paint that was available to its creator at that time
Making our own gum
Resourceful minds are not sitting idly by. There are many ideas on how to make your own gum at home. To do this, you will need a bag of gelatin, water, ½ cup of powdered sugar, 20 g of beeswax, 100 g of honey in a honeycomb.
Gelatin should be poured with a small amount of water to swell. Cut honeycombs into pieces, place in a baking sleeve and send to the microwave to melt the mass. Now you need to add gelatin and wax to it. Stir for a few minutes until all ingredients are dissolved. Cool, and then send the chewing gum to the refrigerator for half an hour. It remains to cut it into portioned pieces and sprinkle with powdered sugar so that they do not stick together.
By the way, you can make not only edible gum. There are many videos on the net of Mr. Max making hand gum. This is a great educational toy for the whole family.
Fun fact:
