1. What is chicle?
2. Where is it found?
3. How is it used?
4. How is it collected and from what?
Please tell me where you get your information?
2007-03-24 06:13:11 · 2 answers · asked by * 2 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Botany
Chicle is the gum from Manilkara chicle, a species of Manilkara. It is a tropical evergreen tree, native to southern North America and South America. It is the traditional material used in chewing gum. The Wrigley Company was a prominent user of this material. Today there are only a few companies that still make chewing gum from natural chicle.
The tapping of the gum is similar to the tapping of latex from the rubber tree. Zigzag gashes are made in the tree trunk and the dripping gum is collected in small bags. It is then boiled until it reaches the correct thickness. Many modern chewing gums use petroleum-based plastic instead of chicle. Pictures of collicting chicle are shown in reference 2.
2007-03-30 03:12:27 · answer #1 · answered by john h 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It is the gum that makes chewing gum chewy.
It come from the sap of the Manikara, a tropical tree. It is condensed by boiling and sent to companies such as Wrigglies chewing gum company.It is also highly sugar full and to much can cause a visit to the dreded Dentist. It is no longer used for this reason.
2007-03-24 08:10:52 · answer #2 · answered by green thumb 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋