Why is chewing gum chewy?

In many ways, chewing gum is a perfect example of modern chemistry at work. We see miracles of polymers in our everyday life,from plastic bottles to innovative packaging designs. Have you ever considered all the wonderful science behind such a fun food product like chewing gum? 

For many years,chicle was the main ingredient in gum base. However,manufacturers eventually began looking for a less expensive alternative to this natural product obtained from the latex of some trees. For most of the present manufacturers,gum base is created using synthetic rubber that has proven to be cheaper to produce,easier to manufacture and even more effective as a base for chewing gum products. One of these is styrene butadiene rubber (SBR). It is a copolymer of styrene and butadiene used for many purposes such as car tires. Other rubber bases used are polyethylene and polyvinyl acetate. 

While gum base makes chewing gum sticky and chewy,all the other substances we see in gum are what makes gum a popular and a great tasting confectionery. Without these additional ingredients,chewing gum would just be flavourless and rubbery,not a successful food product. The rubbers used as gum base are not soluble in water. The formulations used by modern manufacturers are suited to stick around a long time in saliva. 

Some formulations are not even digestible if swallowed and will re - emerge as a solid piece. There are enzymes,such as amylase,that can cause gum to break down. Certain foods like peanuts that are stuck to your teeth can have the same effect. There is even a medical term called 'Gum Disintegration Syndrome' that is given to people whose saliva is incompatible with chewing gum for one reason or another.