Production of Bio-chewing Gum Based on Saqqez as the Biopolymer: Its Biodegradability and Textural Properties

Commercially, chewing gum is produced based on synthetic gum base, which is non-biodegradable and remains in the environment for a long time. Accordingly, chewing gum residue can be considered as a dangerous environmental pollutant. This research was set up to develop a bio-chewing gum based on “Saqqez (Bene resin)” as the source of biopolymers. The produced bio-chewing gum was evaluated for its biodegradability (over a 20-weeks course), condition in a simulated digestive system, and textural and sensory properties; the properties were also compared with those of synthetic chewing gum. According to biodegradability studies, scanning electron microscope photographs showed that the bio-chewing gum was very well biodegradable in the environment (approximately degraded after 3 years), while the synthetic sample remained unchanged for a long time (≈ 1602 years). The SEM results also showed that the simulated digestive system did not dramatically affect the microstructure of the bio and synthetic samples. The hardness and chewiness of the bio-chewing gum were significantly higher than those of the synthetic one. However, the cohesiveness, springiness and adhesiveness of the bio-chewing gum were significantly lower than those observed for the synthetic sample. According to the overall acceptability scores, it can be stated that the bio-chewing gum was well appreciated by the panelists. The bio-chewing gum developed in this study is viable as a good alternative to synthetic chewing gum due to natural gum used in its production, as well as its good biodegradability and textural and overall acceptability. Graphical Abstract