Maya Ellison
Chewing gum is a soft, cohesive substance designed to be chewed without being swallowed. It is composed of a gum base, sweeteners, softeners, plasticizers, flavours, colours, and a hard or powdered polyol coating. The gum base is largely made of polyvinyl acetate, a type of plastic. Recent studies have shown that chewing gum can release hundreds to thousands of microplastics per piece into saliva and potentially be ingested.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Is plastic a common ingredient in gum? | Yes, plastic is a common ingredient in gum. The "gum base" in the list of ingredients in chewing gum is largely made of polyvinyl acetate, a type of plastic. |
| What is polyvinyl acetate? | Polyvinyl acetate is a sticky polymer found in white glue. It is a thermoplastic, which means it becomes pliable or moldable at elevated temperatures and solidifies upon cooling. |
| Is plastic in gum safe to consume? | The FDA has evaluated the safety of substances used to make up chewing gum bases and has approved 46 substances, including plastics, as safe for this use. However, recent studies have shown that microplastics pose a real risk to humans, and chewing gum has been correlated with higher urine levels of phthalates, plastic-softening chemicals that are known endocrine disruptors. |
| How much plastic is in gum? | A study found that chewing on a piece of gum for an hour resulted in saliva containing more than 250,000 pieces of micro and nano plastics. Another study found an average of 100 microplastics released per gram of gum, with some individual gum pieces releasing up to 600 microplastics per gram. |
| What are the concerns about plastic in gum? | There are concerns about the potential health risks of consuming plastic through gum, as well as the environmental impact of gum litter contributing to plastic pollution. |
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What You'll Learn
Plastic in gum is a health concern
Chewing gum is composed of gum base, sweeteners, softeners/plasticizers, flavours, colours, and, typically, a hard or powdered polyol coating. The "gum base" is largely made of polyvinyl acetate, a type of plastic. Polyethylene, another common component of gum base, also belongs to the group of common plastics and is used in products from plastic bags to hula hoops.
The presence of plastic in chewing gum has raised concerns about its potential health risks. While the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) considers these plastics safe for use in chewing gum, recent studies have suggested otherwise. Research has found that chewing gum can release hundreds to thousands of microplastics per piece into saliva and potentially be ingested. In a study, a volunteer chewed on a piece of gum for an hour, and their saliva contained more than 250,000 pieces of micro and nano plastics, comparable to the level found in a litre of bottled water.
The ingestion of microplastics from chewing gum can pose health risks. Microplastics have been linked to increased urine levels of phthalates, plastic-softening chemicals known as endocrine disruptors. Endocrine disruptors can interfere with the body's hormonal balance and have been associated with various health issues, including reproductive problems, metabolic disorders, and developmental issues.
Furthermore, the presence of plastic in chewing gum contributes to plastic pollution in the environment. If not properly disposed of, used gum can stick to surfaces and add to the litter problem. The plastic in gum can also attract oil, leading to the contamination of surfaces and potentially causing environmental damage.
While the FDA has evaluated the safety of substances used in gum bases, the classification of gum as food remains controversial. The inclusion of plastic in gum, along with other inedible products, raises concerns among consumers about its potential impact on health. As a result, some people may choose to avoid consuming gum or seek alternative options that do not contain plastic.
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Plastic is a key ingredient in gum base
Chewing gum is composed of gum base, sweeteners, softeners/plasticizers, flavours, colours, and, typically, a hard or powdered polyol coating. The "'gum base' listed on the ingredients of chewing gum is largely made of plastic. This may come as a surprise, as gum is often marketed as a wellness product, with purported benefits for oral health, stress relief, and even joint health.
The gum base is made from synthetic rubbers and plastics, and a typical gum base contains two to four types of synthetic plastics or rubbers. These include polyethylene (the most common type of plastic, used in plastic bags and milk jugs), polyvinyl acetate (a plastic also found in glue), and styrene-butadiene rubber (commonly used in car tires). Polyvinyl acetate, a key ingredient in most chewing gums, is a thermoplastic polymer material that becomes pliable or moldable at elevated temperatures and solidifies upon cooling.
The hydrophobic polymers in gum repel water, allowing the water-based saliva system in the mouth to dissolve the sugars and flavourings in chewing gum without breaking down the gum base itself. This gives gum its characteristic balance of plastic and elastic properties, allowing it to be chewed for a long time without disintegrating.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) considers the plastics used in gum bases to be safe for human consumption. The FDA has evaluated the safety of many substances used to make up chewing gum bases, and the approved substances include both natural and plastic ingredients. However, recent studies have raised concerns about the presence of microplastics in chewing gum. These studies suggest that chewing gum can release hundreds to thousands of microplastic particles per piece into saliva and potentially be ingested.
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Gum base is made of polyvinyl acetate
Chewing gum is a soft, cohesive substance designed to be chewed without being swallowed. Its texture is reminiscent of rubber due to the physical-chemical properties of its polymer, plasticizer, and resin components, which give it its elastic-plastic, sticky, chewy characteristics.
The "gum base" listed in the ingredients of chewing gum is largely made of polyvinyl acetate, a type of plastic. Polyvinyl acetate is a synthetic resin prepared by the polymerization of vinyl acetate. It was discovered in Germany in 1912 by Fritz Klatte. The monomer, vinyl acetate, was first produced on an industrial scale by adding acetic acid to acetylene in the presence of a mercury(I) salt catalyst. However, it is now primarily made by the palladium-catalyzed oxidative addition of acetic acid to ethylene.
Polyvinyl acetate is used in various applications, including adhesives, paints, coatings, and sanitary products. It is also used to make other polymers, such as polyvinyl alcohol, through hydrolysis.
The inclusion of polyvinyl acetate in chewing gum has raised concerns about its potential health and environmental impacts. Studies have found that chewing gum may release microplastics into the saliva, contributing to the presence of microplastics in the human body. Additionally, the production of polyvinyl acetate and other plastics has been associated with environmental injustices, as production facilities are often placed in underserved and low-income communities, exposing them to toxic chemicals and greenhouse gas emissions.
Despite these concerns, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) considers the plastics used in chewing gum safe for human consumption. The FDA has reviewed and approved dozens of food-grade materials for use in gum bases, including polyvinyl acetate.
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Gum releases microplastics into saliva
Chewing gum is a soft, cohesive substance designed to be chewed without being swallowed. Its texture is reminiscent of rubber due to the physical-chemical properties of its polymer, plasticizer, and resin components, which contribute to its elastic-plastic, sticky, and chewy characteristics.
The "gum base" listed in the ingredients of chewing gum is largely made of polyvinyl acetate, a type of plastic. Other plastic components in gum bases include polyethylene, the most common type of plastic, and styrene-butadiene rubber, commonly used in car tires.
Recent studies have found that chewing gum releases microplastics into saliva. In a pilot study, researchers found that chewing gum can release hundreds to thousands of microplastic particles per piece into saliva and potentially be ingested. The study found that both natural and synthetic chewing gums released microplastics into saliva. The plastic released into saliva is a small fraction of the plastic that is in the gum.
The safety of the plastic used in chewing gum has been evaluated by the FDA, which considers these plastics safe for use in chewing gum. However, microplastics pose a real risk to humans, and additional research is needed to assess the potential release of nano-sized plastics from chewing gum.
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Gum base is insoluble and non-digestible
Chewing gum is a soft, cohesive substance designed to be chewed without being swallowed. It is composed of a gum base, sweeteners, softeners/plasticizers, flavours, colours, and, typically, a hard or powdered polyol coating.
The gum base is a rubbery, non-digestible, and water-insoluble substance that gives chewing gum its characteristic chewy texture and elastic-plastic properties. This means that gum can be chewed for a long time without breaking down in the mouth like conventional foods. The base is made from synthetic and natural ingredients, including polymers, plasticizers, and resins, which contribute to its sticky and chewy characteristics.
Polyvinyl acetate, a type of plastic, is a common ingredient in gum base. It is a sticky polymer also found in white glue. Other plastic components include polyethylene, the most common type of plastic used in plastic bags and milk jugs, and styrene-butadiene rubber, commonly used in car tires. These synthetic plastics and rubbers are approved by the FDA as safe for human consumption or for contact with food.
Recent studies have found that chewing gum can release hundreds to thousands of microplastic particles per piece into saliva and potentially be ingested. These microplastics are tiny particles, between 1 and 5 millimetres wide, that are shed from the gum base during the chewing process. While the health effects of ingesting microplastics are still being studied, there is growing concern about the potential risks associated with their presence in chewing gum.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, plastic is a common ingredient in gum. The "gum base" in the list of ingredients in chewing gum is largely made of polyvinyl acetate, a type of plastic.
A study found that chewing one piece of gum for an hour resulted in saliva containing more than 250,000 pieces of micro and nano plastics. Another study found that a typical piece of gum weighing between 2 and 6 grams can release up to 3,000 plastic particles.
The FDA considers the plastics used in gum to be safe for human consumption. However, recent studies have shown that microplastics pose a real risk to humans.
Plastic is added to gum to give it its characteristic balance of plastic and elastic properties.
