Uploaded June 2025 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
The base for conventional chewing gum contains food-grade plastic polymers. Natural gums, however, are known for their nonsynthetic ingredients like tree sap and plant-based wax. But a researcher at UCLA recently found both conventional and natural gums release the same amount of microplastics when chewed. She is now working to determine the source of microplastics in natural gums.
The study’s experimental approach was approved by the Internal Review Board at UCLA.
To read an ACS press release about this research, go to acs.org/pressroom/presspacs/2025/march/chewing-gum-can-shed-microplastics-into-saliva-pilot-study-finds.html.
“Chewing Gums: Unintended sources of ingested microplastics in humans”
Presented at ACS Spring 2025 on March 25, 2025
Presenter: Lisa Lowe
Principal investigator: Sanjay Mohanty, Ph.D.
Video credits:
Written and produced by Vangie Koonce
Edited by Janali Thompson
Narrated by Andrew Sobey
Series produced by Vangie Koonce, Anne Hylden, Andrew Sobey, and Jefferson Beck
Executive produced by Matthew Radcliff
Research videos from Lisa Lowe
Music: “The Value of Icons” by Lionel Cohen from Triple Scoop Music
Sound effects: Soundsnap
Produced by the American Chemical Society (ACS), one of the world’s largest scientific societies. ACS is a global leader in providing access to chemistry-related information and research through its multiple databases, peer-reviewed journals and scientific conferences.
Join the #AmericanChemicalSociety! bit.ly/Join_ACS
#gum #candy #chemistry #plastic
The base for conventional chewing gum contains food-grade plastic polymers. Natural gums, however, are known for their nonsynthetic ingredients like tree sap and plant-based wax. But a researcher at UCLA recently found both conventional and natural gums release the same amount of microplastics when chewed. She is now working to determine the source of microplastics in natural gums.
The study’s experimental approach was approved by the Internal Review Board at UCLA.
To read an ACS press release about this research, go to acs.org/pressroom/presspacs/2025/march/chewing-gum-can-shed-microplastics-into-saliva-pilot-study-finds.html.
“Chewing Gums: Unintended sources of ingested microplastics in humans”
Presented at ACS Spring 2025 on March 25, 2025
Presenter: Lisa Lowe
Principal investigator: Sanjay Mohanty, Ph.D.
Video credits:
Written and produced by Vangie Koonce
Edited by Janali Thompson
Narrated by Andrew Sobey
Series produced by Vangie Koonce, Anne Hylden, Andrew Sobey, and Jefferson Beck
Executive produced by Matthew Radcliff
Research videos from Lisa Lowe
Music: “The Value of Icons” by Lionel Cohen from Triple Scoop Music
Sound effects: Soundsnap
Produced by the American Chemical Society (ACS), one of the world’s largest scientific societies. ACS is a global leader in providing access to chemistry-related information and research through its multiple databases, peer-reviewed journals and scientific conferences.
Join the #AmericanChemicalSociety! bit.ly/Join_ACS
#gum #candy #chemistry #plastic
