Chewing gum (English bubble gum) is a confectionery product popular among adults and children, consisting of a non-edible elastic base, aromatic and flavoring fillers. People have long liked to chew something, because the ancestors of modern chewing gum can be found in all corners of the world.
The first known chewing gum was found in Finland during excavations of a Neolithic settlement more than 5,000 years old. Then it looked like a sweet vegetable resin with the addition of berries, honey and other flavors, which could only be chewed. Today, it is possible to inflate bubbles from it, stretch it and glue it to surfaces, while not even guessing about its origin and composition. So how is chewing gum made?
What is chewing gum made from?
For the preparation of chewing gum, they take a non-edible base and flavoring fillers. Previously, the base consisted of wood resin, but now it is made from a mixture of special plastic and rubber. For smell and color, flavorings and food colorings are taken. All ingredients are selected in such a way that even if chewing gum is completely eaten, the human body is not harmed. It is not affected by digestive juices, therefore, even with complete passage through the gastrointestinal tract, chewing gum remains in its original form.
Interesting fact: Modern chewing gum was first patented by a dentist in the US in 1869. It was created for more convenient cleaning of teeth from plaque after eating. A sweet inflatable chewing gum for children in the form of balls of all colors and sizes was patented in 1928 by the American Walter Dymer.
Gum production
A base in the form of balls with a diameter of 15–20 mm is brought to the chewing gum factory. It has a solid structure, therefore, it does not stick together and remains in a crumbly form. Depending on the production capacity, from 100 kg to 10 tons of the base is poured into a large mixer and powder flavors with dyes are added. As soon as the mixer is filled and started its work, glucose syrup is poured into the mixture to sweeten the gum and give it an elastic soft texture. To obtain the necessary sweetness, dextrose is additionally added to the mixture.
The mixture is stirred with rotating blades for about 20 minutes, while the chewing gum gradually heats up, becoming a pasty and homogeneous consistency. The finished mass is unloaded into a cart and delivered to a pre-extrusion press. A large bulky lump under pressure is passed through several small holes and a long ribbon is obtained. Narrow strips are immediately sent to the main press, where they take on their final shape.
Depending on the characteristics of the finished product, a variety of nozzles are installed on the press, which allow you to obtain the required thickness and shape of the chewing gum. To prevent the tape from sticking to the wrapper, it is passed through the freezer for 2 minutes and sent along the conveyor to the cutting stage. Sharp knives cut the tape into identical pieces, and a special mechanism immediately packs them into a wrapper.
Finished products go to the robotic packer. QCD workers look through the finished chewing gum going along the tape and select the one that does not meet the standards. In large factories, for additional control, automatic computerized installations are used, which, using a laser and an air gun, remove non-conforming products from the conveyor belt. The finished gum is packed in plastic bags or cardboard boxes and sent to supermarket shelves.
Thanks to modern technologies, a unique confectionery product is created from a chewing base and flavoring additives that turns everyday life into a small celebration of joy and fun. Sweet chewing gum pleases adults and children of all ages with its taste and big bubbles.
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For no apparent reason, it suddenly became interesting, but what, in fact, is chewing gum made of? Let's figure it out.
Let's start with history: oddly enough, but the prototypes of modern chewing gum were found in almost all parts of the world:
In the Mayan tribes, hardened hevea juice - rubber - was used as chewing gum.
In ancient Greece, the resin of the mastic tree was chewed, which perfectly freshened the breath.
In India, chewing gum was replaced by a mixture of areca seeds, pepper betel leaves and lime. This composition disinfected the oral cavity well, by the way, in many Asian countries it is still chewed.
In Siberia, dried larch resin was chewed, which not only cleaned the teeth, but also strengthened the gums.
Well, the most ancient prototype of chewing gum was found in Yuli-Iy (Finland), scientists calculated the age - 5000 years!
Modern chewing gum began its history in 1848, in the city of Bangor (USA), where the world's first chewing gum factory was built on an industrial scale. The owner of the factory, John Curtis, begins selling the first chewing gums called "White Mountain" and "Sugar Cream". Unfortunately, Curtis' chewing gum did not become popular among the population and in 1860 he curtailed production.
John Curtis
On June 5, 1869, dentist William Finley Samples of Ohio received the first patent for chewing gum. But he never took up mass production of chewing gum.
William Finlay Samples
1869, photographer Thomas Adams takes over the business, who, after careful research on the properties of rubber, begins the production of chewing gums in multi-colored wrappers. His first licorice flavored gum was called Black Jack.
Thomas Adams
The ideal formula for chewing gum was developed by Walter Diemer in 1928 - 20% rubber, 60% sugar (or substitutes), 19% corn syrup and 1% flavor, thanks to this composition, the chewing gum has good elasticity, which allows it to blow bubbles. Approximately the same formula is used to this day, although synthetic rubber is now added instead of rubber, plus a whole set of thickeners and flavors.
An interesting fact: the largest bubble from chewing gum was blown by Susan Montgomery from the USA, the diameter of the bubble was about 59 centimeters ...
And now a video of the process of making chewing gum at the factory:
As early as the beginning of the 20th century, the ideal formula was derived:
- 60% sugar or sweeteners;
- 20% rubber;
- 1% flavor;
- 19% corn syrup.
If natural rubber was originally used, now synthetic polymers are more common in the composition. For example, polyisobutylene.
The basis of modern chewing gum There are 4 types of components: base, flavoring agents, dyes, sweeteners.
Composition of chewing gum of popular brands
| Love is… | Orbit | Dirol (Dirol) | |
| The basis | Polymer rubber base | ||
| Sweeteners | glucose syrup; sugar. | Maltit E965; Sorbitol E420; Beckons E421; Aspartame E951; Acesulfame-K E950. | Isomalt E953; Sorbitol E420; Beckons E421; Maltitol syrup; Acesulfame-K E950; Xylitol; Aspartame E951. |
| Flavors | Depending on the taste, flavorings are natural or identical to natural. | ||
| Dyes | Natural dyes are mainly used: E120 (green); E141(red); E160a (yellow, orange). | E171 - titanium dioxide. A dye that imparts white color. It has strong whitening properties. | E171; E170 - calcium carbonate 4%. White dye. |
| Additives | Emulsifier E322 - soy lecithin. Antioxidant E321 is a synthetic analogue of vitamin E. It slows down the oxidation processes. |
||
| E330 - citric acid; E296 - malic acid. | Sodium bicarbonate E500ii is a baking powder and acidity regulator. | E441 stabilizer - hydrogenated rapeseed oil. Used to save the form. Texturizer E341iii. | |
| Thickener E414 - acacia resin, emulsifier and defoamer. Stabilizer E422 - glycerin. Glazing agent E903 – carnauba wax. It is a natural palm leaf product. |
|||
Various nutritional supplements
Latex
It is a rubber base.
It is considered harmless, but comprehensive studies have not been conducted.
In order for rubber to remain elastic for a long time, glycerin, lecithin and other emulsifiers are added to it.
Flavors
Or fragrances identical to natural. Such as vanillin, ethyl acetate, ethyl formate and others. Animal experiments have shown the destructive effect of such flavors on the body's metabolism. Especially dangerous for the child's body.
Flavorings irritate the oral mucosa and contribute to the formation of wounds.
In addition, the packages usually do not indicate which flavors are used. It is impossible to check what enters the body.
Dyes
Regardless of origin, they are strong allergens. E120 is obtained from plants (part of the Orbit), E141 from insects E160a - carotene. E171 - titanium white, which was not previously allowed in the food industry. Some gums contain E131, a dye that has a pronounced carcinogenic property.
Sweeteners
As can be seen from the table, pure sugar is rarely used. Its substitutes are more popular, as they retain the sweet taste of the product longer.
Sugar with prolonged contact with tooth enamel, it provokes the growth of microbes, which contributes to the development of caries.
aspartame is a very popular sweetener. In the body it is broken down into methanol and amino acids. Methanol is toxic acts on the vascular and nervous systems of a person. May cause headache, nausea, weakness. Animal experiments have shown that with long-term use of aspartame, oncological diseases develop. This is due to the fact that when the temperature rises, methanol turns into formaldehyde. A safe dose is considered to be no more than 3 g per day.
Mannitol, maltitol, xylitol can cause indigestion, in large doses have a laxative effect. This effect occurs when using a package (10 pieces) per day. Xylitol also contributes to the formation of kidney stones.
Sorbitol and isomalt also have a laxative effect when the dose is exceeded by 30–50 g. They cause flatulence.
Acesulfame-K refers to food sweeteners medium degree of danger. Considered a carcinogen. Although EU scientists deny the connection between the supplement and the occurrence of tumors.
Additional components
Glycerol E422, when it enters the bloodstream, poisons the body, affecting the state of the blood.
Antioxidants increase blood cholesterol levels.
Emulsifier E322 enhances salivation, with prolonged chewing, the work of the gastrointestinal tract is disturbed.
Lemon acid long-term use causes blood diseases. Contributes to the formation of tumors.
Butyl and menthol cause a local allergic reaction - the skin around the mouth becomes inflamed.
This is not a complete list of components. Many components accumulate in the body and can become a time bomb for your health.
The benefits and harms of chewing gum, its pros and cons
How does chewing this product affect the body?
Positive sides:
- To some extent cleans the teeth from food debris. Part sticks to the gum, and part is washed out by saliva, which is released in a larger volume during chewing.
- Chewing provokes increased secretion of gastric juice. Therefore, it is recommended to chew only after eating. This is speeds up the process of digestion.
- Helps to quickly eliminate bad breath.
- The process of chewing reduces nervous tension. Helps to relax in stressful situations.
Negative sides:
- A lot of saliva is released. Once in the stomach, it dilutes the gastric juice, lowering its acidity. As a result, more acid is produced. If a chewed on an empty stomach, acid corrodes its walls. Frequent irritation causes diseases of the stomach;
- dangerous for fillings, dentures. Provokes a violation of their integrity. The jaw is overstressed, dislocation may develop;
- The ingredients are far from harmless. Many have not been fully explored. Can accumulate in the body and provoke disease;
- sugar with prolonged contact with enamel contributes to the development of caries;
- a large number of pads consumed per day (15-20 pieces) causes a sharp weight loss and upset of the intestines.
Chewing after eating for 5-15 minutes will not harm your health. But it is more useful to brush your teeth or eat a hard vegetable or fruit (apple, carrot). It will also clean your teeth.
Can children chew gum?
Of course, parents decide whether or not to give treats to the baby. But doctors do not recommend giving this product to children under three years of age. It is better to postpone acquaintance with this product until the fourth anniversary.
Dangers for the child's body:
- The tooth enamel of babies is much thinner than that of adults; prolonged chewing makes it thinner.
- Dyes, flavors and other additives have a bad effect on children's health. Dangerous doses of harmful substances for children are many times less than for adults. Therefore, if you use this product, then with a minimum amount of dangerous components.
- Safe use time is 5 minutes. But few people follow it. Do not allow the child to chew for more than 15 minutes. And only after eating.
- It is noted that children who are used to chewing gum are more likely to become addicted to bad habits in adulthood.
- Toddlers often swallow gum. This can lead to serious conditions. There have been cases when sticky chewing gum blocked the intestines. There is a possibility of suffocation.
- The process of chewing weakens attention. And in children, it is already scattered. Frequent use of chewing gum can cause developmental delays.
It is better introduce the child to this product as soon as possible. Do not allow uncontrolled chewing for a long time. Make sure that the baby does not play with chewing gum in his mouth, in order to avoid accidental swallowing or getting the gum into the respiratory tract.
Thus, it is a product of dubious benefit. More harm from it. You can use it only after meals and for a short time. Better not get used to chewing gum. Children should be given as little as possible. It is difficult for a child's body to cope with a large number of harmful substances contained in it.
You can not use this product for diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, inflammation in the oral cavity. He will not replace brushing your teeth.
At the end, we invite you to watch a video on this topic:
Chewing gum is a food product loved by many. People usually chew gum several times a day after meals. It helps to clean the mouth and teeth from food debris. Chewing gum can be chewed for a long time and does not dissolve. Why is this happening and what is the composition of this product?
Composition of chewing gum
The main ingredient in chewing gum is the gum base. Previously, at the beginning of the 20th century, the ideal composition was as follows: 60% sugar, about 20% rubber 19% corn syrup and 1% various flavors.
Now, for the production of this product, the composition is approximately the same, but only the rubber has been replaced with synthetic rubber, and many thickeners and flavors have also been added. All ingredients are mixed and heated to form a gum base.
Consider the list of hazardous substances that are contained in chewing gum:
- aspartame- This is a rather dangerous sweetener, when it enters the body, it decomposes into elements such as amino acids and methanol. The latter is a dangerous poison that can cause serious harm to the nervous system. Aspartame is found not only in chewing gum, but in almost all sugary carbonated drinks.
- Acesulfame Potassium or E950 - this component can cause cancer. Of the ten experimental rats that were injected with this substance, four had cancer.
- Butylated hydroxytoluene or E321. This food additive is not only used in chewing gum, it is also used in jet fuel and as an oil for electrical transformers.
In addition to the ingredients described above, chewing gum contains sorbidol, lecithin, glycerol, flavors, titanium dioxide and other ingredients.
Chewing gum has a rather complex chemical composition. Not all components are safe, many cause serious harm to health.
Dirol chewing gum appeared in Russia in October 1993. The Danish family company Dandy first set up distribution, and six years later built a factory in Veliky Novgorod to produce chewing gum here. The Dirol and Stimorol brands passed from one company to another several times: in 2003 Dandy was bought by the British confectionery company Cadbury Schweppes, then the plant was transferred to the Russian branch of Kraft Foods, which became part of the international company Mondelēz International in 2013. The Village went to Veliky Novgorod to see how chewing gum is made.
Photo
Ivan Anisimov
Production
The plant where Dirol is made is located on the outskirts of the city, but it takes five minutes to get there from the Novgorod Kremlin. Danish entrepreneurs from Dandy invested more than 2 billion rubles here at the initial stage, and funding over the past six years has amounted to about 1 billion rubles. The industrial complex in metallic color with large windows looks modern and technologically advanced - the authors of the building project even received an award for the architectural design, but this is not what we notice. The smell stretches along the entire territory of the plant - not strong, sweetish and very pleasant. I want to immediately go inside to feel it more clearly.
After the briefing, we put on gowns, gloves, special shoes, put our hair under plastic caps and stick earplugs on a string into our ears. Before entering the production, there is a sign with the number "1333" - this is the number of days without accidents, which reminds employees of compliance with safety regulations at work. The walk starts from the warehouse, where raw materials are received at this time. Far-sighted Danes built the plant in one line in order to be able to lengthen or expand the complex if necessary, which was done three years ago. So in fact we go from shop to shop in a straight line.
Raw materials enter the unloading area every day, and almost all materials are delivered from Europe and America, domestic - only honey, talc and maltitol syrup (molasses).
Factory Mondelēz International
Location: Veliky Novgorod
Opening date: 1999
Employees: 350 people
Factory area: 15 000 m2
Power: up to 30,000 tons of chewing gum and candies per year
What is chewing gum made of
Chewing gum consists of a gum base, sweeteners and flavors. Previously, chewing gum was made from natural rubber, but this is a complex and expensive process - almost no one does it now. The synthetic base is made in Ireland and Poland, comes in large bags and looks like small hailstones. It is she who gives the chewing gum elasticity, ductility and long-lasting taste. There are about ten types of bases - harder and softer, a combination of two types can be used in one chewing gum.
All the frightening names on the packaging - isomalt, sorbitol, maltitol, aspartame and acesulfame - are powdered sweeteners that replace sugar. Sweeteners are much more expensive than sugar itself and are produced outside of Russia.
Flavors are divided into liquid and dry (they are stored in two different rooms), as well as synthetic and natural. So, all fruit flavors are synthetic, and mint flavors are an extract from plants. It turns out that a pleasant smell comes from the warehouse of flavors. There is no one flavor that would convey a specific taste, such as watermelon. Each flavor is achieved by mixing different ingredients - up to 30 ingredients can be used to create a specific flavor. Dirol and Stimorol chewing gums have more than 300 components of different flavors. They have a shelf life of three months to five years. A limited quantity is transferred to the workshops, which corresponds to the recipe of a certain taste.
There is an opinion that the use of chewing gum can adversely affect the body. “Chewing gum is a food product, a confectionery product. Its quality and safety for the health of the consumer are subject to the same high requirements as for any other food product. If we talk about the composition of chewing gum, then it uses only ingredients approved for use in food,” says Andrey Samodin, spokesman for Mondelēz International in Russia.
All flavors undergo a procedure for confirming compliance with the requirements of the Customs Union. In addition, the proportion of flavors in chewing gum is very small. “We use both natural and natural flavors. The difference between the two types of flavorings is only in the method of obtaining: they are absolutely identical in composition and structure,” says Samodin. According to him, food colorings are also certified and approved for use in food products. At the same time, Dirol and Stimorol chewing gums do not contain sugar, since this ingredient is associated with the formation of caries. Sweeteners can cause a laxative effect if taken in excess at one time, but a large amount of chewing gum must be consumed at once in order for such an effect to occur. Acesulfame is not recommended to consume more than one gram per day, but to get this amount from chewing gum, you need to consume about one kilogram of chewing gum per day (more than 70 packs).
Chewing gum is really not recommended to be chewed for more than 15 minutes on an empty stomach in order to avoid increased formation of gastric juice. “It's also important to remember that chewing gum is not a substitute for brushing your teeth. Its purpose is to freshen breath, get a pleasant taste and sensations, ”said Samodin.
Chewing gum like a pie
“The production of chewing gum is similar to the production of pies,” says Irina Tsareva, quality control manager. - How do we cook pies? First, we mix the ingredients, roll out the dough, let it stand a little, send it to the oven, take it out and pack it.”
It takes at least a week from the moment when the necessary powders arrived at the production site until the moment when a person chooses the taste of Dirol at the counter in the supermarket. The production of chewing gum is a technologically complex and non-linear process with interruptions at almost every stage. In total, 15 processing and packaging lines operate here.
A recipe system has been introduced at the plant: operators who prepare components for mixing receive a recipe that determines how much and what to take. In the first room, liquid flavors are mixed - this happens manually: the operator finds the container by a metal tag and adds the right amount of content to a large tank. The smell that we felt at the beginning becomes much stronger here.
When we move to the hall where the ingredients are weighed, it becomes so strong that it hurts the eyes and tickles the throat. “You can’t come to any production and not smell a specific smell. Any production smells, and our smell is quite pleasant, ”Irina answers my question if such a concentration is harmful. The same team works here as in the previous section. All workers are wearing respiratory masks - the operator Vitaly measures the right amount of powders, checking the recipe, weighs and adds to plastic buckets. This produces a mixture of two to six ingredients, which is then sent to a large mixer.
From mixer to conveyor
In mixers, the mixture of the base, flavors and sweeteners spends up to 40 minutes and is heated to a certain temperature. With us, the worker opens the mixer after the “session” - it contains a mass that really looks like dough. Each time after unloading the mass, the mixer is cleaned - this takes a lot of effort from the workers. “We cannot allow one taste to mix with another, so the worker must clean the surface - he does it manually, unfortunately, no one in the world has yet figured out how to quickly and efficiently eliminate chewing gum,” says Irina.
The dough is unloaded into a special container, which goes further - to the pre-extruder and extruder. These machines once again mix the mass, and then roll out the layers like a mechanical rolling pin. After a certain thickness is reached, the dough is cut with longitudinal and transverse rollers. The output is plates that are easy to divide into pads. At the factory, they are usually called the "core" or "bark". I slow down at the extruder in the hope that now I will get at least one pad, but they are taken to the measurement control point. Foreman Vadim measures the length and width of a random sample of pads using scales and an electronic caliper - they must pass between the minimum and maximum limits of the required parameters. The dimensions of one Dirol pad are approximately 19.5 mm by 11.8 mm. An extra hundredth of a millimeter - and the whole batch will go for processing. Recycling is a common thing here. If the pads are not the right size and shape or are not as smooth as they should be, then they are sent for recycling from any stage of production.
Dirol has an X-Fresh line with a powder center, which is made differently than chewing gum in sticks and sticks. The beginning is the same: the base and sweeteners are loaded into the mixer, the mass is mixed and delivered to the extruder. But it’s not a flat dough that comes out of it, but a “sausage”, into the center of which powder is injected. To prevent the dough from sticking to surfaces, oil or talc is used.
If the check by parameters is passed, then the core is sent to a cold storage. There, the bark is aged for about up to three days and hardens. After that, she is sent to a machine with the working name "Rumble", which, by vibrating, breaks the sheets into individual tablets. Next, they are in the process of dragging.
The dragee machine looks like a washing machine. You can look into the drum and see how the suspension is fed there - water, sweetener and flavors. A powerful stream of dry air removes water, and the suspension covers the core in about 40 layers. This is how chewing gum acquires its final appearance and texture.
The packaging shop is automated. “If earlier workers manually put packs of chewing gum into boxes, now it happens automatically,” says Irina. The operator, sitting on the conveyor, should once or twice an hour check the parameters of the pads, the operation of the metal detectors and make appropriate notes. Employees are not allowed to chew gum in production, but this does not apply to those who sit in the packing room. Here, the duties of the operators include a test of chewing gum for taste. Employees must know the entire line of Dirol and Stimorol - for this they undergo special training and sensory tests. The chewing gum is packaged in waterproof and airtight foil, in blisters and in a pack of two pads, and then in boxes.
How chewing gum flavors are made
“Variety of flavors is one of the things people expect from chewing gum. Now we want watermelon, then mint flavor, then something else. The assortment adapts to all occasions: some tastes come, and some leave and sometimes come back, - says Andrey Samodin, the company's press secretary. - Of course, we monitor the dynamics of sales, conduct market research. Then the development of the concept begins: what is the taste for, what need does it satisfy, how will it fit into the current assortment. The R&D department then prepares the recipes. If we make chewing gum with tangerine flavor, then five tastes with different shades will come out in the final - some slightly more sour, some sweet. Experts have an understanding of what tastes the market is more inclined to, but the final word is up to the consumer.”
It usually takes a year to a year and a half to develop a new taste. Dirol has recently introduced two new flavors, Mango and Passion Fruit, as part of the Brazilian Flavors concept. And the leader among Russian consumers for several years is the taste of watermelon and melon.
“Each country has its preferences. In Turkey, they like chewing gum without flavorings and practically without sweeteners - they chew almost the same base. In France, we used to supply licorice chewing gum. But in Russia this taste did not go, although I really liked it. In some African countries, they prefer chewing gum with sugar rather than sweeteners,” says Irina Tsareva.
Now the assortment on the Russian market includes Stimorol and four Dirol formats (classic pads, blister pads, records and Dirol XXL), which in total give a choice of 26 flavors.
Almost 20 million chewing gum pads are produced per day at the plant, and finished products do not stay in the warehouse for a long time. Chewing gum is delivered to distribution warehouses in Russia, and also sent to the CIS countries, the Baltic States, Morocco, Lebanon, Greece, and Turkey.
