How do chewing. What is chewing gum made of? Chewing gum made from corn syrup
The prototype of the current chewing gum existed already in the Stone Age, when people mixed the bark of trees with resin and chewed the resulting mixture. To prevent the chewing gum from being too bitter, honey was sometimes added to it. So they cleaned and strengthened their teeth. The Greeks used mastic tree bark or beeswax for this purpose. The Mayan tribes chewed rubber, and the inhabitants of Siberia chewed larch.
Despite numerous evidence of the existence of ancient forms of chewing gum, it is believed that it was invented and created by the American William Finley Semple. It happened on December 28, 1869. A patent was issued for the invented combination of rubber with chalk, charcoal, and a number of flavors. Semple believed that his chewing gum could be used long-term, at least a month. The discoverer never engaged in the production of chewing gum in industrial volumes.
The first machine for the production of chewing gum was created in 1871 by the American Thomas Adams. He opened his own business and successfully developed it. In the USSR, chewing gum began to be produced in the 1970s.
Chewing gum production
Most include the following:
- latex - the main part of the chewing gum;
- flavors, natural and identical to them;
- dyes;
- sweeteners: sugar, acesulfame-K, aspartame, sorbitol or silitol.
Chewing gum is made using an industrial mixer. It lays the foundation, which includes at least 80% rubber. In the process of kneading, certain sweeteners are added to the mass (the most popular sweetener in the production of chewing gum today is sorbitol). Sometimes manufacturers put substances such as calcium, vitamin C, carbomite (a tool that strengthens teeth) and all kinds of flavors into the product.
The next step is rolling. A kind of dough in a thick layer falls under the extruder (equipment similar in appearance and purpose to a rolling pin), and it comes out already thin and with marked boundaries of future pads. Then, within 2 days, the dough is allowed to settle, harden. After that, a special apparatus cuts it into separate parts.
In the case of glazed chewing gums, the next step is to glaze the already separated gum pads. The glazing process is quite long - it takes at least 8 hours. Then the product is dried in special chambers. Then it remains only to sort and pack the received products into packs. Manufacturers who value their reputation are very responsible for the last stages, because only high-quality chewing gums should get on store shelves.
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.
And what would such a chew?
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 the northern regions 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 chewing 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 the enterprise soon 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 won recognition and soon scattered around the world.
She is always with us, without her we do not leave the house, we use it after eating and keep it at hand everywhere - this is chewing gum. Almost no modern person can do without it. But not everyone knows how chewing gum is made, and what it consists of. Let's talk about this in more detail.
Start of production
In order to figure out what chewing gum is made of, let's dive a little into history. Modern prototypes of this product were mentioned in the days of the Mayan tribe. True, the description indicates it as hardened hevea juice, or, more simply, rubber. Chewing gum and the ancient Greeks, especially popular with them was the resin of the mastic tree, which perfectly refreshes the breath. In India, betel leaves and areca palm seeds have been used for this purpose. By the way, a similar mixture of seeds is chewed in our time in many Asian countries.
Modern production is distinguished by complex technologies and not so pure natural composition of the product. It began to develop in 1848. The world's first large factory was built, of course, in America. It was thanks to her that the rest of the world learned how gum is made and began to use it in such quantities. Several manufacturers alternately tried to derive its correct formula, ideal for the consumer, but it turned out only in 1928 with Walter Diemer:
- Rubber in it should be no more than twenty percent.
- The main part (up to 60%) is sugar and its substitutes.
- Corn syrup - 19%.
- Flavorings - no more than one percent.
We can inflate large bubbles precisely because of its composition.
Now how do they make gum?
The production of chewing gum in our time practically does not differ in its technology from that described. True, rubber is now too expensive, and its analogue is synthetic rubber, and in addition to it there is a large set of various preservatives, flavors and thickeners, without which it is already difficult to imagine any modern product.
The foundation
The production process is a complex matter, here everything is made using automatic machines and in large volumes. And it all starts with the basics. For it, plastic and synthetic rubber are used, which are loaded into a special vat with a mixer. Here the mass is heated and mixed with glucose syrup, dyes and flavors. As a result, it becomes soft and elastic, convenient for its further processing.
The most pleasant smells always come from warehouses with flavors. Here they are found in large quantities, but the interesting thing is that a certain taste does not really exist. For example, how is watermelon gum made? This may require up to thirty different types of flavors. All of them have their own specific shelf life, lasting from several months to five years. For the manufacture of the base, they are selected separately and delivered to the workshop in limited quantities.
After making each individual flavor, the large mixer has to be cleaned, a very painstaking and time-consuming job, but it is necessary to do this in order to prevent the flavors from mixing.
Shaping
This is just the beginning of the process, but how do they make chewing gum next? Now let's go to the press. The resulting soft mass is fed into a special machine, which heats it up even more and compresses it, forcing it through a narrow gap. The result is a long, flat ribbon.
The next machine gives it the desired shape, familiar to us, similar to a record, and sends it further along the moving tape to the cooling chamber. We all know the sticky properties of gum. It is necessary precisely for their elimination and subsequent convenient processing of the product.
We divide into pieces
The cooled chewing gum moves further and is cut into identical bars with the help of special knives. Everything happens very quickly, literally in one second up to a thousand of its pieces are formed and sent for packaging, each of which is sent for a mandatory check.
Of course, it is random, a person cannot, like an automaton, quickly measure thousands of pads, but such a check is also an important aspect in this production. Each of the firms has a certain limit between the maximum and minimum size of the product, and if a discrepancy is detected, the entire batch will be sent for recycling. The smoothness and appearance of the chewing gum is also taken into account.
At the packaging phase, everything is automated, here the chewing gum is wrapped in special paper, goes further to packaging and folds into boxes. So we figured out how to make chewing gum.
Benefit or harm?
Everyone who is interested in how and from what chewing gum is made must ask the question: "How harmful is it to our body?" There is an opinion that its influence is purely negative. But after considering the process, you can see for yourself that this is exactly the same confectionery product as any other, and the harm from chewing gum will be exactly the same as from the cake.
It should be noted that the composition of all well-known chewing gum manufacturers meets high modern requirements and includes only ingredients acceptable for food production. It really should not be chewed for more than a quarter of an hour, as this negatively affects the stomach, causing an increase in digestive processes and, as a result, a large release of gastric juice that corrodes its walls.
Do not forget: dentists indicate that chewing gum is intended solely for freshening breath and enjoying its pleasant taste.
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:
If you ask any passer-by what America is famous for, then he will probably name three things - jeans, McDonald's and 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.
And what would such a chew?
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 the northern regions 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 dried juice. It was from him that the modern generation came. Surely each of us will be interested to know how chewing 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 the enterprise soon 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 won recognition and soon scattered around the world.
Interesting fact:
- 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 that 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.
Interesting 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 advertisement for chewing gum, isn't it?
Is it worth believing advertising?
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 healthy. 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 health to the delicacy. When you pop a chewing gum into your mouth, your brain thinks it's time for lunch and starts preparing your 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.
Interesting fact:
- It is often believed that pink is the color of chewing gum because it is a symbol of youth, tenderness and love. But in fact, the first chewing gum was pink only because it was the only paint that was available to its creator at that time.
We make gum ourselves
Resourceful minds do not sit 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 about Mr. Max making this a great educational toy for the whole family.
Interesting fact:
- Once, about $120,000 was spent to clear the sidewalks in Beijing of chewing gum. Since then, law enforcers have fined anyone who dares to spit out chewing gum on the streets of the city.