Bubble gum flavor is very distinctive and it’s not for everyone. While many will chomp on a piece of spearmint or cinnamon flavored gum, asking them to gnaw on a piece of original bubble gum is another story entirely.
Spoon University dove into this sticky situation to find out WTF bubble gum flavor even is.
Turns out, bubble gum “flavor” is like most candies: totally unnatural.
It’s it’s a mix of artificial flavors and chemicals formulated to mimic natural flavors, and that goes for the pink hue, too. Initially a gray concoction, the guy who invented bubble gum in 1928, Walter Diemer, used pink dye to mask the unappealing natural color that the chemicals produced.
Some consumers would describe the flavor as “fruity,” which makes sense, considering it’s largely marketed to kids. But while bubble gum may smell kind of fruit-forward, it would be misleading to label it “a strawberry-banana-punch type of flavor,” which is how Bob Boutin, president of Knechtel Inc. (the world’s largest confectionary consultant) describes it.
Oh, and also, swallowing a piece of gum is not the death of your innards. While it is indigestible, gum will eventually pass through your digestive system just like any other food.
