What is gum? And what happens when you swallow it?

Chemistry For Your Life

#200

In this episode Melissa and Jam delve into the fascinating world of chewing gum. They start by discussing awkward combinations of food and gum, leading to an exploration of what gum is made of. The conversation covers the basics of gum composition, including the roles of sugar, flavor, and especially the gum base, which itself is made of polymers. They explain why gum doesn't dissolve in saliva and how flavors are eventually lost as they are absorbed by saliva. The hosts also talk about the environmental impact of gum and spotlight an innovative company that recycles used gum into new products. The episode is filled with personal anecdotes related to gum, enhancing the scientific discussion with engaging memories.

00:00 The Gum and Chocolate Dilemma
00:40 The Mystery of Natural vs. Unnatural Gum
01:07 Mint Preferences and Gum Curiosities
02:22 Introduction to the Chemistry of Gum
03:31 Podcast Introduction and Community Shoutouts
05:54 Teaching Experiences and Family Connections
08:50 Deep Dive into Gum Chemistry
22:13 The Science Behind Gum Flavor
23:08 Sugar-Free Gum and Flavor Retention
23:42 The Role of Chemists in Gum Production
24:37 Explaining Gum Chemistry
26:18 The Structure and Properties of Gum
29:47 Natural vs. Synthetic Gum
31:50 Recycling Gum: Gumdrop Limited
34:34 Gum in Our Digestive System
36:35 Gum-Related Memories
44:30 Conclusion and Listener Questions

References from this episode:

1. https://cen.acs.org/articles/96/i14/Recycling-used-gum-cycling-through.html?utm_source=Twitter&utm_medium=Social&utm_campaign=CEN&hootPostID=9a9a878b967d568f13944bd2bd2fa649
2. https://gumdropltd.com/
3. https://cen.acs.org/articles/85/i32/Chewing-Gum.html?utm_source=InLine&utm_medium=InLine&utm_campaign=CEN
4. https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-21/chapter-I/subchapter-B/part-172/subpart-G/section-172.615
5. https://www.acs.org/education/whatischemistry/adventures-in-chemistry/secret-science-stuff/gum.html
6. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=baC4iuD4gGU
7. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_R6R_V9xkAo

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