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How Do Flavor Crystals in Gum Work?

Flavor crystals boost the intensity of taste in chewing gum. Manufacturers produce their products with visible crystals to increase consumer sales, and although they have always used additional flavoring, products like Wrigley's "Microburst" give users more concentrated flavor.

  1. Saliva Production

    • Microburst crystals get their name from the weather phenomenon that causes air to accumulate in a concentrated area under a cloud, often causing quick, concentrated rainfall. Microburst crystals cause the same effect in the mouth, increasing saliva production and distributing flavor quickly.

    Cooling Sensation

    • Xylitol is an artificial sweetener and an ingredient in many chewing gums. Because it breaks down quicker than sugar, it spreads flavor more rapidly through the mouth. In addition to health benefits like fewer cavities, it produces an intense cooling sensation in the mouth.

    Concentration

    • While most chewing gums distribute flavoring evenly, flavor crystals contain higher concentrations of artificial flavoring. They also contain sweeteners like sorbitol and xylitol in higher concentrations. Sorbitol has also been shown to retain flavor longer.

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