According to Howstuffworks.com, gum was/is made in the following way:
"Up until WWII, chewing gum was made of a substance called chicle
mixed with flavorings. Chicle is a latex sap that comes from the
sapodilla tree (native to Central America). In other words, chicle is
a form of rubber. Just like rubber bands don't dissolve when you chew
them, neither does chicle. Chicle is a good bit softer than rubber
bands and happens to soften more when it gets warm in your mouth. If
you freeze chicle with ice, it gets very stiff -- chicle hardens and
softens over a pretty narrow temperature range. After WWII, chemists
learned how to make artificial gum bases to replace chicle. These gum
bases are essentially synthetic rubbers that have the same temperature
profile as chicle. Gum bases (either natural or artificial) are mixed
with sugar and other flavorings to make chewing gum. When you chew it,
the rubber releases these flavorings into your mouth."
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Sciencenet.org.uk answers the question "How do you make chewing gum?"
as follows:
"Chewing gum used to be made from thickened resin and latex from
certain kinds of trees, or from various kinds of sweet grasses,
leaves, grains and waxes. In ancient Greece mastic gum was chewed, and
obtained from the mastic tree. Now the big chewing gum manufactures
make chewing gum synthetically from styrene-butadiene rubber, which is
made from a reaction of styrene and butadiene."
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Wrigley.com have a Question and Answer section for kids. In response
the question "Can I make chewing gum at home?", they warn:
"Don't try this at home, kids. Mixing gum requires very high
temperatures. If you tried to use ordinary pots and pans to make it,
they would most likely scorch and be ruined.
http://www.wrigley.com/wrigley/kids/kids_faq.asp
However, I have sourced some kits you can buy to make gum from
scratch. It is easy to make on a stove or in the microwave. Kit
includes gum base, confectioner's sugar, corn syrup, flavor packets,
pan for softening gum base and instructions.
Price: $9.50
http://www.toyboxligonier.com/chewinggumkit.html
With the "Make Bubble Gum" kit by Blue Daisy you can make 50 pieces of
bubble gum. You just melt, stir, roll, squeeze and stretch all of the
ingredients in this kit and you will have 50 pieces of bubble gum.The
wrappers are also included. Adult supervision is needed for young
children.
http://www.kazootoys.com/bludaismakyo.html
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And, here is a recipe to make bubble gum:
"How to Make Bubble Gum
Materials Needed:
one oz. package of bubble gum base
one and a half teaspoon of bubble gum flavor
volumetric measuring cup
two small cookie cutters(3/4 in.)
one and a half tablespoons of corn syrup
one cup of confectioners sugar
microwave safe mixing bowl
wooden mixing spoon
measuring spoons
oven mitt
rolling pin(optional)
wax paper
Instructions
1. First thing's first wash your hands
2. If the corn syrup is not liquified, put the bottle in a pot of hot
water to liquify it.
3. Put one cup of confectioners sugar in the microwave safe mixing
bowl and make a crater in the center.
4. Empty the one oz. package of bubblegum base into the crater and put
the bowl in the microwave on meidium to meidium high for 15
seconds.Wearing a oven mitt carefully remove the container and press
against the bubble gum with the wooden spoon. If the bubble gum is
soft and mushy, remove it.If not microwave it like before until it's
soft and easy to mash with a wooden spoon.
5. When the base is soft, add one and a half tablespoons of liquified
corn syrup and heat again on meidium high for another 15 seconds and
remove from microwave.
6. With the wooden spoon, mix the bubble gum base, the corn syrup and
the sugar until they are about halfway mixed together, then add one
half teaspoons of bubble gum flavor and continue mixing until it is
blended together.When the mixture has cooled and it gets hard to stir,
kead it with your hands. The consistency you should have will be
similar to cookie dough. Once you have a soft dough like lump of pink
bubble gum place it on a sheet of wax paper dusted with confectioners
sugar.
7. Now you are ready to shape the bubble gum. You can flaten it with
your hands or with a rolling pin and cut it with a bubble gum cutter
in to the shape you desire.
8. After you have cut the bubble gum let the bubble gum dry for one
hour, then lightly dust each peice with confectioner's sugar and store
them in a air-tight container. If you want to you can wrap each piece
of bubble gum individualy in wax paper instead of storing them in
container, if you do the gum should stay fresh for to weeks.
9. When you are cleaning the mixing bowl ad the wooden spoon try to
wipe off most of the mixture with a paper towel before washing. Then
wash them with warm water and soap."
http://www.girlstartcamp.org/webdivas/gum_home.htm
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This page shows how to make bubble gum - includes instructions,
pictures, kits etc
http://www.leeners.com/gumrecipe.html
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keywords used
"make chewing gum"
"make bubble gum"
recipe "chewing gum"
recipe "bubble gum"
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hope this info helps |
