Bubble gums have existed for close to a century now. Even though people chew them for different reasons, bubble gums are primarily for blowing bubbles. If anything, there are competitions for such acts, and there is a reigning champion. Continue reading to find out who holds the record for the biggest bubble ever blown, why bubble gums are primarily pink, and other mind blowing bubble gum facts.
1. Walter Diemer Created The First Ever Bubble Gum
Walter Diemer was an American accountant who worked for Fleer Chewing Gum Company. Even though his career entailed more finance, Walter liked experimenting with gum recipes during his spare time. In 1928, during one of his tests, he created today’s version of bubble gum. The Fleer Company had previously made a batch of bubble gums around 1906. However, they were not as successful as Walter; their products, Blibber-Blubber, were too sticky.
2. Bubble Gum Flavors Vary
While it’s true that there is a “bubble gum” flavor, bubble gum flavors vary depending on the manufacturer. Various esters are often mixed, the most common ones being amyl acetate, ethyl butyrate, methyl salicylate, and benzyl acetate. Naturally, you can produce the bubble gum flavor by mixing wintergreen, banana, cloves, pineapple, and cinnamon.
3. McDonald’s Once Created A Bubble Gum Flavored Broccoli
In a bid to push children into eating healthier meals, McDonald’s once created bubble gum flavored broccoli. Unfortunately, the plan did not see the light of day as it was rejected after being tested on some children’s focus groups. They found the product confusing.
4. The Bubble Gum Creator Forgot the Original Recipe
When Walter Diemer went about his experiments, he stumbled across a recipe that created bubble gum. Unfortunately, he lost the original recipe and had to start experimenting again. Several months later, he got the formula again, this time for good.
5. Pink Is the Most Famous Bubble Gum Color
Of colors, pink is the most commonly preferred bubble gum color. However, there is nothing special about it; it’s only that When Walter Diemer was experimenting, pink was the only food coloring he had.
6. A Piece of Bubble Gum Once Exploded in a Student’s Mouth
A chemistry student from Ukraine died when a bubble gum he was chewing reacted and burst in his mouth. As the chemistry scholar was going about his studies, he mistakenly dipped the gum into a container of an explosive material that looked similar to the citric acid he was targeting.
7. There Is a Secret to Blowing Big Bubbles
While bubble gums are structured to blow bubbles, how big they become depends on the chewer’s techniques. Interestingly, the secret to blowing ultimate bubbles is taking it slow – it allows the bubble gum to stretch and grow efficiently.
8. The Rhinoceros Party Wanted to Change Canada’s Currency to Bubble Gum
Officially the Parti Rhinoceros Party, the Rhinoceros Party was a registered political party in Canada from 1963 to 1993. Among many ridiculous things the organization stood for, it wanted to change the country’s official currency to bubble gum so it could be deflated and inflated willingly.
9. Chad Fell Holds the Record for The Biggest Bubble Gum Bubble
Chad Fell is an American from Winston County, Alabama, who holds the record for the biggest bubble gum bubble. Set in 2004, Chad blew a bubble gum bubble measuring a diameter of 50.8 centimeters (20 inches without using his hands. His record is recognized by the Guinness World Records and was set at the Double Spring High School in Alabama.
10. There Is a Tourist Attraction in California Where visitors stick their Chewed Bubble Gums on the Wall
Located in downtown San Luis Obispo, California, the Bubblegum Alley is a tourist attraction where people stick their chewed-up gum on its walls. The site, which has existed for about two decades, has millions of pre-chewed gums, with the number expected to rise with more visitors flocking to the region.
11. The Idea That Swallowing Bubble Gum Stays In Your Gut for Seven Years Is A Myth
Over time, there have been stories of why swallowing bubble gum is wrong. Among them is the idea that the ingested gum piece stays in the gut for seven years. Contrary to the narrative, the gum usually moves down the digestive system and is pushed out within 40 hours while intact.
12. Bubble Gum Is A Type of Chewing Gum
Bubble gum is a type of chewing gum. The major difference is that bubble gum is more viscous, allowing it to easily blow into a bubble shape. Moreover, bubble gums usually contain the bubble gum flavor. On the other hand, traditional bubble gum doesn’t make gigantic bubbles and comes in different flavors.
13. Tons of Bubble Gums Are Chewed Every Year Worldwide
Telling the exact number of bubble gums chewed every year is not easy. However, estimates show that the figures are more than 100,000 tons, with millions of distributors worldwide.
