How Bubble Gum is Made

Bubble gum is a favorite among people of all ages. But the answers to questions like, 'when was bubble gum made?', 'how bubble gum is made'?, 'why was bubble gum made?' and 'how is bubble gum made?' are not known by many. Let us try to seek answers to these questions.

Who made bubble gum? Bubble gum has a history which goes way back to 1900. Frank Fleer, owner of a candy company, thought of making a gum, out of which bubbles could be blown. Despite the large number of trials he took, he had to settle with a sticky gum which did not make much profit. It was in 1928, when Walter Diemer, who worked for Fleer, stumbled upon a recipe, which was a lot more stretchable and less sticky. He took it to a grocery store, where it was sold very easily. It was named as the 'Double bubble gum'. Diemer had a nice time teaching his colleagues and little kids to blow bubbles from the gum. It was until the entry of 'Bazooka bubble gum', that 'Double bubble gum' ruled the market solely.

Now let us see what is bubble gum made of. The basic recipe of bubble gum used by different manufacturers remains almost the same. Little variations in the color or flavor are made in order to rank higher in the competitive market. Here's the basic recipe of bubble gum.

Ingredients for Making Bubble Gum

Bubble gum ingredients are similar to chewing gum ingredients. The basic ingredients remain the same, though the proportion may vary. There may be some additional substances to make the bubble gum less sticky.

• Gum Base
• Sweeteners
• Flavors
• Softeners
• Colors

Gum base is the key ingredient of bubble gum. It contains 'chicle' which is a rubber like substance obtained from sapodilla tree. Chicle acts as an elasticizer which lets the gum stretch easily without tearing, and the bubbles don't burst easily. Other gum bases used are jelutong, gutta-percha and pine rosin. Use of synthetic rubber bases like polyethylene, polyvinyl acetate and butadiene-styrene rubber is increasing these days.

About 79% of sugar is present in a single stick of gum. Natural sugar or corn syrup are used in order to give a sweet taste to the gum. It also enhances the texture of the gum. Artificial sweeteners like saccharin and aspartame also serve the same purpose.

A lot of bubble gums have a fruity taste which is liked by everyone. Natural fruit extracts or synthetic fruit flavoring agents are used for this purpose. There are other flavors like peppermint, spearmint and cinnamon which are quite strong and last for long.
Softeners are generally made from vegetable oils. They blend the bubble gum ingredients well and also give a smooth texture to the gum. Some preservatives like butylated hydroxytoluene are also added to retain the freshness of the gum. Pink is the most popular color of bubble gums. But these days bubble gum is available in many different colors.

Process of Making Bubble Gum

Step 1: The gum base ingredients are mixed together in right quantities. This generally takes place in a large machine with rotating blades.

Step 2: The ingredients when blended well are warmed till they melt.

Step 3: Sugar, softeners, color and the flavoring agents are added slowly to it and mixed thoroughly. The gum begins to thicken and appears like bread dough.

Step 4: Then, the gum has to be flattened. It is passed through huge rollers to get thin sheets of the gum.

Step 5: The flattened gum can be cut into small pieces or shaped into any desired form. The small gum pieces are sprinkled with powdered sugar and kept for cooling for about 48 hours, so that the gum sets well. Once the gum sets properly, it can remain fresh for long.

Step 6: It is then wrapped with waxed paper, and then covered with plastic wrappers. It is now ready to enter the market.

The large-scale manufacturing of bubble gum is done in clean, hygienic and air conditioned rooms, where the temperature and humidity can be controlled. Quality control plays an important role in the process. All the ingredients as well as the finished product are checked for purity and quality. Any material which does not fit into the prescribed standards is rejected immediately.

Research is still going on to enhance the quality of bubble gum. Now that you know the method for making bubble gum and what it contains, enjoy blowing face-smacking, messy bubbles!