A lot of gum base is made from plastic. Below are some more sources.
polyethylene
vinyl acetate
These ingredients are hidden behind “trade secrets” so they aren’t listed on the wrapper.
The irony about asking if gum could be made from a plant source — what do you think it was made from originally? I’d much rather chew on chickle than something that’s going to deposit petroleum-based microplastics in my gut. I get enough of that from food packaging already. “Natural” gum bases still exist and if you Google around you can find lists of chewing gums that still use them.
Your first link is about micro plastics, and they even say not all brands have them. So if a product is made of plastic and doesn’t always contain micro plastics (which are found in the air and water and soil and foods), then…polymers might not actually be plastics sometimes. Or in gum, many times.
Random person who took a material science course in college here, polymers like polyethylene are constructed from their component monomers in chemical reactions. Not all monomers end up in a polymer chain, and some remain trapped in the material. These are what leeches out of the plastic over time. Better manufacturing processes have cut down a lot on this over time but it’s not something that can be eliminated entirely. These are also referred to as micro plastics sometimes, and sometimes not–it depends on the knowledge of the person speaking and whether or not it suits their point. Anyways, there’s your not so fun fact for the day.
It does cite an FDA statement and federal regulations that allow polyethylene as an allowed ingredient in “gum base.” Other sources are more broad just calling it “polymers.”
But this points out that “gum base” is a very vague term that can include lots of ingredients. Which kinda sucks.
Like another response stated, the big concern to me was the ambiguity that companies are allowed to have behind “gum base” as an ingredient, and this article dove into that more than others I could find on short notice.
I have no buy-in to the source, so please downvote and report to remove it for infactual information! I will leave it here to foster thoughts and discussion around unusual sources of unexpected materials we may unwittingly put into our bodies.
I’ll admit lately I get more than freaked out anytime I hear about potential microplastics getting into my system orally. It would be a relief to know this is a false alarm, though I’ll still personally be looking into alternatives instead of grabbing whatever off the checkout lane next time.
It’s largely not worth freaking out over, in the sense that they are ubiquitous enough that it’s impossible to meaningfully avoid. By all means reduce your exposure if you can do so without great inconvenience, but we are all collectively inundated with the stuff and just have to wait for science to figure out what effects (if any) it will have. “Only worry about what you can control” and all that.
Polymer != Plastic. Plastic is a polymer, but not all polymers are plastic. Wtf is this source.
A lot of gum base is made from plastic. Below are some more sources.
These ingredients are hidden behind “trade secrets” so they aren’t listed on the wrapper.
The irony about asking if gum could be made from a plant source — what do you think it was made from originally? I’d much rather chew on chickle than something that’s going to deposit petroleum-based microplastics in my gut. I get enough of that from food packaging already. “Natural” gum bases still exist and if you Google around you can find lists of chewing gums that still use them.
https://www.greenmemag.com/health-nutrition/microplastics-found-in-popular-sugar-free-gum-brands-swiss-study-reveals/
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Gum_base&wprov=rarw1
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0048969723063878
Your first link is about micro plastics, and they even say not all brands have them. So if a product is made of plastic and doesn’t always contain micro plastics (which are found in the air and water and soil and foods), then…polymers might not actually be plastics sometimes. Or in gum, many times.
Random person who took a material science course in college here, polymers like polyethylene are constructed from their component monomers in chemical reactions. Not all monomers end up in a polymer chain, and some remain trapped in the material. These are what leeches out of the plastic over time. Better manufacturing processes have cut down a lot on this over time but it’s not something that can be eliminated entirely. These are also referred to as micro plastics sometimes, and sometimes not–it depends on the knowledge of the person speaking and whether or not it suits their point. Anyways, there’s your not so fun fact for the day.
Well I’m glad you have this secret knowledge of the plastics hidden from everyone but you.
Phew!
It does cite an FDA statement and federal regulations that allow polyethylene as an allowed ingredient in “gum base.” Other sources are more broad just calling it “polymers.”
But this points out that “gum base” is a very vague term that can include lots of ingredients. Which kinda sucks.
It’s also used in fiber supplements.
Are you sure your aren’t thinking of osmotic laxatives? Miralax, for example, is polyethylene glycol.
You are correct.
Like another response stated, the big concern to me was the ambiguity that companies are allowed to have behind “gum base” as an ingredient, and this article dove into that more than others I could find on short notice.
I have no buy-in to the source, so please downvote and report to remove it for infactual information! I will leave it here to foster thoughts and discussion around unusual sources of unexpected materials we may unwittingly put into our bodies.
I’ll admit lately I get more than freaked out anytime I hear about potential microplastics getting into my system orally. It would be a relief to know this is a false alarm, though I’ll still personally be looking into alternatives instead of grabbing whatever off the checkout lane next time.
It’s largely not worth freaking out over, in the sense that they are ubiquitous enough that it’s impossible to meaningfully avoid. By all means reduce your exposure if you can do so without great inconvenience, but we are all collectively inundated with the stuff and just have to wait for science to figure out what effects (if any) it will have. “Only worry about what you can control” and all that.
It is 100% discretionary product. People can just stop buying it and deny corporate revenue
Rubber and plasticizers but the idea is an oil based product.
Also silk, wool, cellulose, protein
That’s why you shouldn’t swallow it. Like toothpaste it stays in your mouth until you are done with it.
If you eat celery or beans, I’ve got bad news for you
Alright, what is it? Lol
whispers you’re eating polymers. The bad part of gum.
But not oil based polymers in celery or beans. I am not following.
That commenter is being dense on purpose as some sort one up…
Bad faith behavior