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Article: Gut-friendly gum. (environmentally-friendly digestible chewing gum is based on edible biodegradable proteins called polymers)(Brief Article)
- Article from:
- Science World
- Article date:
- May 2, 1997
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 1997 Scholastic, Inc. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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Gum disposal can get sticky. Chewed gum hardens into a gloppy mess that sticks to and stains everything. But Scott Hartman, an inventor at Wrigley, may have found a solution. He recently received a patent for an, "environmentally friendly" I chewing gum that won't make a mess of the environment or your stomach.
Ordinary chewing gum I is made from sugar, flavorings, and color, blended in a chewy base. The base is a combination of wax, plastic, and latex--a stretchy substance used to make rubber. "It takes a long time for plastic, latex, and wax to wear away," said Wrigley's Christopher Perille. That's the reason used gum can stick around under a desk or on a ...