So you've read on different sites about natural and synthetic gum bases. Well, let's first understand that natural gum was, in fact, made from real rubber sap-producing trees. Whereas modern-day gum is made using artificial ingredients. Each gum manufacturer has its secret recipe to differentiate its flavor, elasticity, chewy and foamy feeling; you name it.
What is gum base?
Gum base is an essential ingredient for making chewing gum. So the gum base is what creates the elastic-chewy "chew" you get when gnawing on your favorite gum. What causes gum so much better and tastier is the addition of softeners and sweeteners. Some gum base is made from natural saps from spruce trees or rubber trees, and some are manufactured using synthetic substitutes.
Natural gum base
The natural use of gum base was first experimented with within the 1800s when spruce sap (the latex rubbery substance) from spruce trees was boiled and bark removed. Gum base wasn't always made from spruce trees; some include pine rosin, chicle, etc. Chicle was very high in demand as it was the most challenging natural resource for gum base to harvest. One chicle tree can only produce about 1 kilogram of chicle, and the tree has to be three to four years old to supply its best amount, and the tree only extracts its best quality in 20 years. The pine rosin, which is also a natural gum base, is processed from pine rosin made from the turpentine harvested on different types of pine trees. First, they had to boil the rosin to remove oils, and what's left after the boiling process is a fragile substance (usually light yellow to dark color). Pine rosin is somewhat non-soluble yet soluble, which means that the main reason it is suitable to be used as a natural gum base is that it is friendly to the environment. A different resin type is mastic, a sap from small evergreen trees in Greece. During ancient times, mastic was considered suitable for dental hygiene and had traits of vanilla-like flavor. Mastic (mastic) is still sold today, and you can find them easily in Mediterranean shops online. Still, they're expensive because it is considered an exceptional ingredient in their country of origin (Greece).
These days more and more gum base producers are conscious of environmental issues. They have decided to produce healthier, nature-friendly (which means the gum will not be a threat to the environment), more-natural gum base options to meet consumer demands.
Synthetic gum base
Some manufacturers of modern-day gum bases use natural gum bases like chicle in them, but only a minimal amount. Large manufacturers use the synthetic, man-made-non-natural combination in their gum ingredients. Why? Well, gum manufacturers want to enhance texture in their chewing gums. They want longer-lasting elasticity and add wax for softer chewiness and less tackiness. They need something to make the flavor linger longer in our mouths, making the product memorable for the consumer too. Imagine how much effort these manufacturers put into a piece of chewing gum to achieve all that!
These synthetic substances may include:
- Elastomers (natural and synthetic) make chewing gum bouncy and elastic (the rubber)
- Resin (glycerol esters of gum, terpene resin, or polyvinyl acetate) to obtain toughness
- Waxes (paraffin or microcrystalline wax) act as a softener.
- Fats (vegetable oils) give it a plasticizing effect and retain moisture.
- Emulsifiers (lecithin or glycerol monostearate) help hydrate gum so they won't stick too much together.
- Fillers (calcium carbonate or talc) to give gum a textured feel
- Antioxidants (BHT) to protect products from oxidation and expiration
By its looks, chewing gum turns out to be a highly complex type of confection.
So back to why gum base has all these synthetic substances in them, as long as regulatory agencies say that it meets food safety and standards and is used in accepted levels (which are all differently regulated in different countries), additives in chewing are considered safe and edible.
The whole idea of inventing the gum base was so that people could enjoy chewing them, in moderate amounts, of course. Do not over-chew them. Some chewing gum products purposely highlight and underline their beneficial use to support healthy habits claiming that the saliva released while chewing gum can help clean your teeth. In addition, the minty flavors will add to fresh breath. Make sure of this! Just don't use this advertisement to replace brushing your teeth.
What about sweeteners and all the other additional substances in the gum base?
The fun flavoring, sweeteners, and coloring. Remember that this part is just for "fun." Wide varieties of gum are produced using natural and synthetic gum bases, bubble gum, soft bubble gum, sour gum, sugar-free gum, jawbreaker gums, ball gum, center-filled gum, ribbon gum, tab gum, tube gum, wrap gum, there is. Even medicated gum!
Whether it is the natural or synthetic gum base you're looking for, they will supply your chewing addiction.
Author: Wuxi Gum Base
Publication Date: 2/5/2022
