Different Types of Chewing Gum

Chewing gum is a type of confectionery that is eaten the world over. There will hardly be a place in this world that has not been pervaded by the ubiquitous chewing gum. Traditionally made of chicle, a natural latex product, it is now being manufactured using rubber. The reason for this is mainly the higher cost and lower quality of gums produced with chicle. However, in some of the countries of the world, like Japan, chicle is still the preferred base of chewing gums. Chewing gum is basically made by combining a water-insoluble phase, known as gum base, with a water-soluble phase of sweeteners, flavoring and sometimes, food coloring. It comes in a wide variety of sizes, shapes, colors and flavors, with the latter being dependent on the location. In the following lines, we will tell you about the basic kinds of chewing gums.

 

 

Ball gum, as the name suggests, is shaped like a ball. It is usually coated and mostly found in vending machines. In the US, it is called ‘gum ball’, while in UK, it is referred to as 'screwball'.

 

Bubble gum is mainly chewed for its property of blowing bubbles, enabled by its film-forming characteristics.

 

Sugar-free gum is most amongst the people who are either health conscious or have diabetes. Instead of sugar, it has artificial sweeteners to provide the taste.

 

Candy-gum is basically a candy, which has bubble gum making up majority of its inner-center.

 

Center-filled gum is the one which has a soft center, usually filled with some tasty liquid.

 

Chiclet Gum is another name for a chewing gum that has been coated with candy.

 

 

Dragée gum is a pillow-shaped chewing gum, which is usually coated and is packed in blister packs.

 

Functional gum is the one that has a practical function attached to it, like herbal chewing gum that delivers herbs to the body.

 

Medicated gum is used as a 'delivery system', to introduce medicines into the saliva and through it, into the blood stream, faster than pills.

 

Powdered gum comes in the form of a free flowing powder that can be compressed into different shapes.

 

Stick gum is the name given to a gum that comes in the form of a very thin and flat slab.

 

Ribbon gum is very much like the stick gum, only it is longer. It comes coiled up, in a cylindrical container, and the consumer tears off a piece of the size he wants.

 

Tube gum or spaghetti gum is an extremely soft bubble gum, which comes in a tube and is squeezed to tale out.