London, 5 October 2010 (MIA) - It caught on in a flash – it calmed tense football managers and helped teenagers mask the smell of their first cigarettes.
Sadly, it also caught on people’s shoes, hair and on train seats, leading to endless hours of scrubbing and scraping.
But now chewing gum has survived this sticky patch.
British scientists have designed Rev7, the first non-stick gum, which apparently dissolves within a day and can be removed from clothing with just a bit of soap and water.
The gum apparently keeps its trademark taste and texture.
‘The motivation to invent the product came from seeing chewing gum on the streets in this country and in America. It’s everywhere,’ said Prof Terry Cosgrove at Bristol University.
But it took three years and a £10million grant to find the answer. The secret lies in the creation of a new polymer that can, er, also be used in paint. It replaces the latex, which is adhesive and resistant to the elements, in normal chewing gum.
That happened three years ago but then came the quest to recreate the flavours and texture that have proved so popular.
In a factory in north Wales, more than 1,000 pieces of gum were created to more than 200 different formulae to make the gum ‘as good a chew’ as ever.
Spearmint and peppermint flavours went on sale in the US yesterday and it is hoped that it will go on sale here soon.
Rev7 already has one fan in Britain – London mayor Boris Johnson saw it come off Tube seats with ease at his Gum Gala show in July.