The most unusual records from the Guinness book. All about chewing gum The biggest chewing gum

The huge bubble inflated by Susan Montgomery in 1994 became the grandiose "ruminant trick" of the late 20th century. Viewers of the ABC channel watched the birth of a 58.5-centimeter bubble, a record holder. Do you want to repeat or beat the achievement of the American chewing woman and inflate the biggest bubble of gum?

If chewing gums continued to be made from coniferous resin (it was from it that the first "bubble gums" were made), then no one would have thought of how to inflate the gum. It's like trying to inflate a heating pad instead of a balloon! As a result, sales did not bring wealth to John Curtis, the inventor of the "great-grandmother" of chewing gum. Today, it’s impossible to imagine a world without gum sticking to the sole.

Throughout its history, chewing gum did not stand on the sidelines, but evolved as best they could, acquiring new shapes, sizes, colors and tastes. And yet, had they not been so elastic, humanity would never have solved the riddle of how to blow bubbles out of them, and the modest, unremarkable Susan would never have made it onto New York television.

Inflating a bubble and bursting it with a bang - isn't it fun!

So, for those who do not know how to inflate a bubble from gum, we offer a quick guide.

1. First, get some chewing gum, preferably one that chews and puffs well. According to the experience of seasoned "blowers", children "Orbit," Love is "or" Hubba Bubba "have good properties. However, almost any modern chewing gum will allow itself to be inflated to a decent size.
2. Chew the gum well, making it a viscous, stringy and homogeneous mass. Then, without opening your mouth, form a lump out of it.
3. Compress the resulting lump using your tongue, front palate, and front teeth. You should end up with something like a cake. To do this, simply press the gum ball to the palate with your tongue. Of course, these manipulations are done with a closed mouth and closed teeth.
4. Next, place the lozenge on the inside of the front teeth. And then start slowly and gently pressing the tip of your tongue into the middle of the cake, as if pulling the gum on your tongue. When you feel that the tension is optimal, remove your tongue and slowly blow into the stretched area. At the same time, the lips should be like in a kiss - slightly open and extended forward.
5. If you do everything right, you will see how the cherished bubble inflates before your eyes. If you can't inflate the bubble the first time, don't give up trying. It only takes practice to succeed!

Helium and gum are a sweet and hilarious couple

Today, almost everyone who has purchased a product from the gum and rubber industry is interested in knowing whether a bubble will fly if it is inflated not with air from the lungs, but with helium. How to inflate gum bubbles with helium? And most importantly, will such a miracle bubble fly?

Helium and gum - a combination worthy of the book of records!

If ordinary rubber balls are inflated with helium, then why not inflate the largest bubble of gum with it and thus plug the American Susie into the belt?

When American entrepreneur John Curtis set up the production of a prototype of modern chewing gum in 1848, it probably never occurred to him that people would think of setting records with it. But man is an inventive and sometimes stupid creature, so ... here :)

Most bubbles

On July 11, 2018, the record was recorded for the most massive blowing of bubbles. It happened in Trenton, New Jersey, during the Eastern Conference Minor League Baseball All-Star Game. The action, which was attended by 811 people, was moderated by New York Yankees legend Bernie Williams.

All participants in the event had to chew gum for one minute and inflate a bubble that would not burst within 30 seconds. All of this was timed to coincide with a charity campaign to educate people about a rare pulmonary disease - idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, during which breathing problems occur.

Bubble blown up by nose

On November 10, 2000, Joyce Samuels of Louisville, Kentucky took a pre-chewed rectangular gum, stuck it onto her nostril, took a deep breath through her mouth, and blew out (with her nose) a perfect 27.94 cm bubble.

Thanks to this, she was able to perpetuate her skill in the Guinness Book of Records, although it all started as a harmless prank: initially, Joyce blew bubbles with her nose to entertain her children. The record was obviously set by a professional - please do not repeat!

Biggest bubble gum ever

On April 24, 2004, at Double Springs High School, Alabama, Chad Fell blew hands-free a 50.8 cm bubble of chewing gum. The secret to his success, Chad says, is that he uses three pieces of chewing gum and inflates the bubble in small exhalations. This technique allows you to control the process and prevents the balloon from bursting.

But this is not the biggest bubble in history either! In 1994, Susan Mantgomery inflated a 58.5 cm bubble. It happened in New York at the ABC television studio. The difference with this record is that Susan used her hands to achieve this result.

Fastest Bubbling

The world record for the speed of blowing bubbles belongs to Maria Jovovich from Ukraine. In one minute, she managed to inflate 16 bubbles: each of them took her a little less than four seconds. It happened on September 9, 2015 in Odessa at the annual convention of the Association for Health and Welfare, and she did it to inform people about exercises for the development of oral muscles.

Do you know when chewing gum was invented, in which country it is prohibited, and is there any benefit from it? In our collection you can find answers to all these questions and more.

Few people know, but in 2018, chewing gum will celebrate its 170th anniversary. It was invented by the American John Curtis and has undergone many modifications since that time. At the same time, people even in Ancient Greece chewed the resin of the mastic tree, and they did this for oral hygiene. The birthday of chewing gum is celebrated on September 23rd, and for other interesting facts, see below.

1. Barbed chewing gum

For the manufacture of the first gum in 1848, conifer resin and paraffinic aromas were used. At the same time, during production, pine needles often fell into the mass, which scratched the sky. The chewing gum was called then: "White Mountain", "Cream with Sugar" and "Lulu Licorice". The rubber band appeared in 1871, and it was so good that its inventor patented a machine for automatic production. To distribute a new product to customers, it was shipped to stores free of charge.

2.Part of military ration

Few people know that Orbit chewing gum was in a soldier's ration during World War II. It was believed to help the military relax and deal with stress.

3. Concentration of producers

Think the majority of chewing gum businesses are located in America? But this country is in second place. In fact, Turkey is in the lead.

4. Different types of gum

Chewing gum differs not only in its appearance (plates, pads and tubes), but also in its purpose and in various additives. An example is the following options:

• no sugar - artificial sweeteners are used during its production;
• with filler - rubber bands in the form of pillows have a filler inside - a soft sweet mass;
• functional - the composition includes vitamins, minerals and other useful substances;
• medicinal - chewing gum contains substances necessary for a certain ailment (depending on the purpose), which enter the bloodstream much faster than in the case of taking pills;
• nicotine - this gum is used by those who want to quit smoking, since it contains a lot of nicotine.

There are also gum for weight loss, teeth whitening, herbal, energy, dietary and so on.

5. Unusual chewing gum

In the Forbes ratings, you can find a list of the most unusual chewing gums. It includes energy chewing gum, energizing, like energy drinks (you cannot chew more than two pads). There is also a chewing gum on this list, which wipers and cleaners in many countries dream of - rapidly decomposing. It does not stick to the surface and can be easily washed off with water.

6. A way to reduce appetite

Scientists have done a lot of research to find that chewing gum can help reduce appetite. This is explained by the fact that this process stimulates nerve endings, and they transmit a signal of satiety to the brain. In addition, it has been proven that chewing gum helps to speed up metabolism by about 20%.

7. Does your breath freshen up?

Many people buy gum as a freshener, but it doesn't really help get rid of bad breath. Experiments have shown that gum has only a short-term effect, so it is practically useless.

8. Prevention of caries

Many people think that chewing gum is bad for the teeth, but in fact it can prevent tooth decay. The disease is provoked by food debris that clog in the teeth. They can be removed not only by gum, but also by a large amount of saliva, which is actively released when chewing. If the problem already exists, then this method will not be effective.

9. Is it dangerous to swallow?

One of the most common horror stories that parents tell their children is that you shouldn't swallow gum because it stays in the digestive tract for seven years. Scientists have long denied this information, proving that chewing gum passes through the intestines without decomposing or lingering.

10. Best time to chew

To prevent the gum from causing harm, it should be chewed after a meal and no more than five minutes. It has been proven that if this rule is not taken into account, then prolonged chewing will provoke an abundant secretion of saliva and gastric juice, which, falling into an empty stomach, begins to eat itself. All this increases the risk of developing ulcers and gastritis. In addition, prolonged chewing of the gum is damaging to bridges, crowns and fillings.

11. Bad for memory

English psychologists conducted research and found that chewing gum impairs short-term memory, which is used for momentary orientation. When a person switches to chewing, they become more absent-minded, so do not use the chewing gum in situations where concentration is important.

12. Chewing gum recipe

Today, the production of almost all products, including chewing gum, is automated. It is prepared according to the same formula using different ingredients: 20% rubber, 60% granulated sugar or substitute, 19% corn syrup and 1% flavor.

13. Most popular flavor

The range of gum flavors is huge, and it is regularly updated. According to surveys and sales analysis, it was found that the most popular are gum flavored with mint, eucalyptus and cinnamon.

14. Rescue rubber band

A unique case occurred in 1911, when a small crack appeared in the "water plane" of an aircraft engine that was flying over England, but it could have caused a catastrophe. To remedy the situation, an unexpected way out was invented - the place of damage was sealed with chewing gum, which made it possible to make a safe landing.

15. First earbuds

For the first time, inserts were put into packaging for chewing gum in the 30s of the twentieth century. They depicted the athletes popular at that time, and after a while - the stars of show business. They were produced by Hamilton Chewing Gum Ltd. People liked this innovation very much, so the earbuds began to be used on an ongoing basis. From that time on, people began to collect them. Now rare copies are sold at auctions, and their price reaches € 1 thousand.

16. A chain of candy wrappers

There is a record associated not with an elastic band, but with candy wrappers. An incredibly long chain was made of them in America. It was created by Gary Dyulsham. Its length was more than 27 m, and more than 2 million wrappers were used for the work. He did not stop at the achieved result and continues to increase the length of the chain.

17. A huge amount of gum

It is difficult to imagine these volumes, but every year about 100 tons of gum are bought all over the world.

18. Huge bubbles

People began to inflate bubbles from the rubber band after the famous company "Dubble Bubble" held a television competition. The task of the participants is to inflate the largest bubble from the gum. The record recorded by the ABC studio in the USA was 58.5 cm. The American Susan Montgomery was able to inflate such a bubble.

19. Unusual landmark

In California, a popular bubblegum wall is popular with locals and tourists alike, where everyone can make their mark. The chewing gum is attached in several layers, creating an unusual composition. This architectural structure did not appear at all easy, since it was installed so that people do not pollute the sidewalk with rubber bands, which are very difficult to clean. There is a similar building in Seattle, where the wall of the Market Theater is pasted over with chewing gum.

20. Banned chewing gum

When vandalism among young people increased in Singapore due to the economic boom, in the early 1980s, community workers faced major challenges in clearing chewing gum from city streets, elevators and other areas. In 1983, the prime minister proposed banning chewing gum, but the ban was not officially introduced until 1992. The police punish anyone who threw out rubber bands or candy wrappers in public places.

The import of this product has also significantly decreased. In 2004, due to American pressure, the Singapore government made concessions and allowed the use of gum for therapeutic purposes. Tourists cannot bring more than two packs of gum into the country, otherwise they can be caught in smuggling.

Throughout its long history, the small country of Singapore has tried for centuries to win its independence at the hands of various empires. As a British colony, they survived the Japanese occupation of the Second World War (1942-1945) and finally declared independence on August 31, 1963 as part of Malaysia (two years later they also separated from them). In the years that followed, Singapore created its powerful manufacturing industry, which, together with a large number of sea trade routes, brought immense wealth to the entire country.
This sudden economic boom has sparked an increase in vandalism among young people. The city's community workers in the early 1980s faced major challenges in cleaning city streets, stairs, elevators, sidewalks, city buses and other public areas of endless chewing gum waste. The first official mention of this problem came in 1983, when Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew announced a proposal to ban the use of chewing gum, but the decree was not passed.
In 1987, a new $ 5 billion subway was launched in Singapore, but, unfortunately, it soon became the target of endless vandal attacks. Chewing gum was glued to seats, handrails, and even automatic door sensors.
Chewing gum was officially banned in 1992 with the passage of the Production Control Act, which restricted the use, distribution and trade of all types of chewing gum. The police began to impose severe penalties on anyone caught throwing away gum, candy wrapper, or spitting. Imports of all types of chewing gum stopped immediately, but few remained in local stores. In 2004, international pressure from the United States led to a change in Singapore law to allow the legal use of a small amount of chewing gum for therapeutic purposes (on the recommendation of a dentist). Their use is highly regulated, and the gum must be purchased directly from the dentist or doctor (unless they send all of the patient's calculations to the government, there is a risk of going to jail for up to two years and a $ 3,000 fine).
Tourists visiting Singapore are allowed to bring chewing gum, but a maximum of two packs per person. Moreover, they can also be caught in smuggling, for which the punishment is one year in prison and a fine of $ 5,500. People caught leaving gum in a public place can be fined, sentenced to community service, or often publicly beaten with a bamboo stick.

There is no black market for gum in Singapore, and most of the population often travels to neighboring countries to chew gum where it is legal. To this day, Singaporean 16-year-olds can visit prostitutes more easily (which is legal in some parts of the country) than get permission to chew gum.

The birthday of chewing gum is celebrated on September 23rd. On this day, many years ago, American John Curtis invented chewing gum. It was in 1848, which means that today she is 169 years old. And of course, in the 19th century, chewing gum was completely different.

The first gum was ... with needles!

First, the chewing gum was made from a gum base with the addition of paraffinic flavors. The gum was harsh: it could well have caught pine needles. The names also correspond: "White Mountain", "Licorice and Lulu", "Cream with sugar". And no colored packaging or inserts.

And for more than twenty years, needles have scratched the palate of people, but in 1871 the photographer Thomas Adams developed a gum from rubber. The product was so successful that Adams patented an automatic chewing gum machine. So thanks to Adams, we have such a variety on store shelves.

Free gum

By the way, about the shelves of shops. For a long time, chewing gum was free in stores, the box was simply put on display, and the “gum” was given out to each customer. So the product was "promoted".

Chewing gum instead of soap

The largest manufacturer of chewing gum, Wrigley, once made soap. And they simply applied the chewing gum as a bonus to the buyer. But over time, marketers discovered that people buy soap precisely because of these bonuses. Therefore, Wrigley refocused its work.

The gum that saved lives

In 1911, gum became a real savior. On a Royal Air Force plane, a crack was found in the engine's water jacket during flight. It would seem that a disaster is inevitable, but someone from the team guessed to seal the hole with chewing gum. And of course, all the media trumpeted about chewing gum.

Helped soldiers to relieve stress

Orbit chewing gum appeared during the Second World War. They began to produce it specifically for American soldiers, chewing gum was included in the rations of the military. It was believed that "rubber" helps to relax and relieve stress.

Collecting earbuds

In the 1930s, liners were introduced to chewing gum. At first, these were cards with the image of athletes, comic book heroes, then cards with Hollywood stars appeared. The consumer liked the idea very much, and the cards began to be collected. People whose childhood dates back to the 1990s must have collected the stickers that went into the gum.

The inserts are still collectors' items, old copies can cost up to a thousand euros.

The gum is five thousand years old

In fact, the prototypes of modern chewing gum appeared a long time ago. So, in 2007, in the province of Finland, archaeologists found a piece of resin with imprints of human teeth. This is the oldest gum, it is about 5 thousand years old.

Of course, the ancient gum was natural, and it was in the possession of people from different parts of the world. Mostly gum was chewed. So, among the ancient Greeks, the resin of the mastic tree served to clean the teeth and freshen the breath, the Mayan tribes chewed rubber (frozen sap of hevea), the Indians in the North of America used the resin of coniferous trees, in Siberia and now they chew resin or sulfur - the resin of larch, which is melted into water bath. Well, in the countries of Southeast Asia and India, the prototype of modern chewing gum was a mixture of various leaves and seeds.

All gum has the same formula

Chewing gum has one recipe: 60% sugar (or substitute), 20% rubber, 19% corn syrup, and 1% flavoring.

Bubble Contests

Did you blow gum bubbles?)) In fact, the fashion for bubbles appeared in 1954, and was introduced by the Dubble Bubble company. Then they held a bubble blowing contest, which was broadcast on TV.

Well, the biggest bubble was inflated by the American Susan Montgomery. Her record was recorded in 1994, the bubble was gigantic - 58.5 centimeters in diameter.

Gum Wall in California

In California there is even a special wall for "gum", where anyone can stick their gum. Of course, over the years there have already been about five layers. But in fact, the wall appeared for good purposes - it is a call to residents and tourists not to litter on the sidewalks, because it is very difficult to clean the rubber bands. So they have an alternative - "litter" in a specially designated place.

Candy wrapper chains

American Gary Dushle from Virginia Beach (Virginia) collects candy wrappers from gum and makes a chain of them. And this is the longest chain in the world (27,250 meters) with 2,142,857 candy wrappers. And yes, Gary hasn't stopped there, he's still lengthening his chain.

You can't chew gum in Singapore

Singapore teenagers find it easier to hire a prostitute than to get permission to gum) And this is not a joke. The fact is that the country banned chewing gum back in 1992, the import and production of chewing gum in Singapore is strictly prohibited. So the authorities decided to avoid contamination: they sculpted chewing gum on handrails, in public transport, and threw it on the sidewalks. In 2004, minor amendments were made to the law: the chewing gum was allowed to be used only strictly according to the indications of the dentist, and then in small quantities. And you can only buy it from a doctor. As for tourists, they are allowed to bring only two packs into the country. If a tourist is caught in smuggling, then he faces a fine of 5,500 US dollars and a year in prison. Well, if a person is caught for lewdness - sticking gum in a public place - then he can be sentenced to community service or public beating with rattan sticks.