#200

In this episode Melissa and Jam delve into the fascinating world of chewing gum. They start by discussing awkward combinations of food and gum, leading to an exploration of what gum is made of. The conversation covers the basics of gum composition, including the roles of sugar, flavor, and especially the gum base, which itself is made of polymers. They explain why gum doesn't dissolve in saliva and how flavors are eventually lost as they are absorbed by saliva. The hosts also talk about the environmental impact of gum and spotlight an innovative company that recycles used gum into new products. The episode is filled with personal anecdotes related to gum, enhancing the scientific discussion with engaging memories.

00:00 The Gum and Chocolate Dilemma

00:40 The Mystery of Natural vs. Unnatural Gum

01:07 Mint Preferences and Gum Curiosities

02:22 Introduction to the Chemistry of Gum

03:31 Podcast Introduction and Community Shoutouts

05:54 Teaching Experiences and Family Connections

08:50 Deep Dive into Gum Chemistry

22:13 The Science Behind Gum Flavor

23:08 Sugar-Free Gum and Flavor Retention

23:42 The Role of Chemists in Gum Production

24:37 Explaining Gum Chemistry

26:18 The Structure and Properties of Gum

29:47 Natural vs. Synthetic Gum

31:50 Recycling Gum: Gumdrop Limited

34:34 Gum in Our Digestive System

36:35 Gum-Related Memories

44:30 Conclusion and Listener Questions

References from this episode:

1. 
   https://cen.acs.org/articles/96/i14/Recycling-used-gum-cycling-through.html?utm_source=Twitter&utm_medium=Social&utm_campaign=CEN&hootPostID=9a9a878b967d568f13944bd2bd2fa649


2. 
   https://gumdropltd.com/


3. 
   https://cen.acs.org/articles/85/i32/Chewing-Gum.html?utm_source=InLine&utm_medium=InLine&utm_campaign=CEN


4. 
   https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-21/chapter-I/subchapter-B/part-172/subpart-G/section-172.615


5. 
   https://www.acs.org/education/whatischemistry/adventures-in-chemistry/secret-science-stuff/gum.html


6. 
   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=baC4iuD4gGU


7. 
   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_R6R_V9xkAo
   

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