The history of chewing gum




Chewing gum is one of the most beloved treats for both children and adults. Around 4 billion pieces of gum are sold worldwide each year.

The history of chewing gum

Chewing gum is one of the most beloved treats for both children and adults. Around 4 billion pieces of gum are sold worldwide each year.

The history of chewing gum

Chewing gum is not a modern invention. Archaeologists and historians know that men and women living thousands of years ago used something similar. Back then, they chewed pieces of tree resin. Resin was believed to have medicinal properties, so chewing it helped cleanse the mouth and freshen breath. For example, Native Americans chewed gum made from spruce resin. It is spruce resin that forms the basis of the gum sold in stores today.

1840-1890

Chewing gum was invented by a man named John Curtis. In 1848, he experimented with spruce resin and created a sticky, elastic material that could be chewed. A couple of years later, the material became somewhat more like modern chewing gum. Thus, the world's first chewing gum factory was created. The gum began to be produced in a variety of flavors, and its consistency became softer and more elastic. The factory was named the "Curtis Chewing Gum Factory."

Another 10 years passed, and chewing gum was further improved. This happened after a special rubber latex, obtained from certain tree species, was imported from Mexico. It began to be used in the production of chewing gum instead of resin.

1890-1950

One of the largest manufacturers of that time, and even today, is the Chicago-based Wrigley Company. It was founded by William Wrigley in 1902. Wrigley's chewing gum became especially popular during World War II, when it was distributed to American soldiers as a means of relieving war-related stress.

Inflatable chewing gum first appeared in the early 20th century, invented by Frank Fleur in 1906. However, its production was unsuccessful for a while due to an imperfect formula. In 1928, Walter Dimmer improved it by inventing a new processing method, resulting in a gum that was softer and more flexible than regular gum. Since then, bubble gum has been produced.

Present time

Today, you can buy a wide variety of chewing gum: regular, inflatable, and even medicinal. The ingredients in these gums are beneficial for the health of teeth and gums. Some types of chewing gum contain pepsin, an enzyme that helps prevent indigestion and heartburn.

Modern chewing gum manufacturers are constantly competing with each other, developing new manufacturing technologies. Chewing gum sales reach at least $19 billion annually.

In recent years, numerous claims have emerged that chewing gum is harmful to health: it supposedly promotes cancer, strains facial muscles, leads to intestinal problems, and so on. However, gum consumption hasn't decreased, and it remains incredibly popular worldwide.





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