Chewing gum is one of the most popular types of confectionery worldwide. It is a unique food item that can be kept in the mouth for an extended period. Chewing gum gained global popularity during World War II, primarily thanks to American soldiers who included it in their rations and exchanged it with local populations. Ancient civilizations contributed to the development of this candy, leading to its status as one of the most widely chewed treats in the world.
Evidence suggests that some northern Europeans chewed birch bark tar 9,000 years ago, marking an early form of chewing gum. In Central America, the ancient Mayans used chicle—a gum-like substance from the latex of tropical trees like the Sapodilla. The latex was collected by making zig-zag cuts in the bark. The Aztecs also chewed chicle, with social rules regulating its public use; only kids and single women could chew it openly, while men did so secretly. In North America, Native Americans had been chewing gum for millennia, but their product of choice was the sap of a spruce tree.
The Europeans were taken with the product when they tried it, which brings John B. Curtis, who turned the product into a commercial. John B. Curtis was born on October 10, 1827, in Hampden, Maine, and passed away on June 13, 1897. He was an American businessman and inventor known as the first commercial gum producer. In the mid-1800s, Curtis experimented with manufacturing chewing gum sticks from spruce gum, marketing his product as “State of Maine Pure Spruce Gum.” He began production in 1848, using his wife’s pot to boil and strain the gum, which was sold in tissue paper. Initially, business was slow, but he became a successful commercial sales traveler, expanding his company to over 200 employees. By the late 19th century, he faced competition but adapted by adding paraffin and sugar to create sweeter gum, positioning himself ahead of his time in the chewing gum market.
During WWll, bubblegum was handed out by US military personnel as gifts, thereby spreading its popularity among the people of Europe, Africa, and Asia. Dubble Bubble was part of the US military’s ration kits. In the 1930s, the first bubblegum cards were issued. The bubble gum cards first appeared on the scene in 1933 when the Goudey Gum Company of Boston, Massachusetts, introduced a new product aimed at the children’s market called Goudey’s “Indian Gum”. These were included in each 1 cent pack of bubble gum was paper card featuring a colorful illustration of Native American belonging to a particular tribe. This product was followed quickly by a 239-card set of baseball sold under the “Big League Chewing Gum” brand. Other bubblegum companies soon followed suit, deluging the country with a multitude of cards sold under various brand names.
Fast forward to today, chewing gum is one of the most popular candies in the world. Thanks to American soldiers, chewing gum has become commonplace. Chewing gum increases salivary flow and volume through the action and stimulation of oral taste receptors. We owe the existence of brands like Extra, Orbit, Trident, Eclipse, and Mentos to John B. Curtis. We should acknowledge the Mayans, Aztecs, and Native Americans for the original concept of chewing gum. To wrap it up, we should give thanks to John B Curtis for expanding the chewing gum concept and earning his title as the first commercial gum producer.