How Is Chewing Gum Made?
How Is Chewing Gum Made? Chewing gum was made and sold in America from 1848 but it was very different to the gum we know today. It was made from spruce gum. Mr. Thomas Adams first introduced chewing gum made out of chicle, a very common chewy gum base in 1871.
Chewing gum was made by blending chicle with sweeteners like sugar, and with such flavors as mint and fruit. The gum base is first melted in a big steam kettle, and then mixed with the other ingredients.
Softeners are added to help the gum retain its moisture. Rollers flatten the gum into a sheet the exact thickness of a stick of gum. During this process, the gum is given a coat of powdered sugar to keep it from sticking to the rollers and to enhance its flavor.
Finally, the sheet of gum is cut into sticks just the right size for you to chew. Many changes have since been made like making the flavor last longer and using an artificial gum made from rubber rather than chicle.