# Chewing gum in a shell **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 27, 2011, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chewing-gum-in-a-shell/569195 "2011-01-27T16:28:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![rainy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c2a13f/32.png) [@rainy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rainy)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2011, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chewing-gum-in-a-shell/569195/1 "2011-01-27T16:28:53Z")
For example Dentyne Ice, comes in those blister packs, and the gum itself is coated in some sort of hard candy shell. That candy shell makes the gum store very well even left in a vehicle where the temperature and humidity vary widely. My question is, why are only sugar free varieties of gum offered in this encased in a shell format? thanks, -rainy Here’s hoping I’m wrong, because I’m tired of chewing gum going to hell in my truck in the summertime. ---
**Author:** ![drastic\_quench](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e36b37/32.png) [@drastic\_quench](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drastic_quench)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2011, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chewing-gum-in-a-shell/569195/2 "2011-01-27T16:32:08Z")
Chiclets. They might have been the original candy-coated gum. ---
**Author:** ![Student\_Driver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3da27b/32.png) [@Student\_Driver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Student_Driver)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2011, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chewing-gum-in-a-shell/569195/3 "2011-01-27T16:54:06Z")
Standard gumballs (often sold in refill packs in toy stores/toy sections for home gumball machines) and Rain Blo brand gumballs (which I still see in convenience stores) are sugared candy-coated gums. There also seems to be a surfeit of candy-coated gums in egg shapes around Easter (including some tasty sour gums); check the seasonal foods sections in a month or two. ---
**Author:** ![TBG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@TBG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TBG)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2011, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chewing-gum-in-a-shell/569195/4 "2011-01-28T00:33:46Z")
What brands of gum are “going to hell” when left in the truck? And exactly how bad do they get when “gone to hell”? Just curious, never had this happen, but I don’t keep gum in the car. Or even chew gum anymore. Once I was out of highschool and it stopped being something you’d get yelled at for doing, most of the appeal wore off, lol. If you can’t find a brand that fits what you’re looking for, maybe you could keep a small cooler or something in your truck and help preserve it better. ---
**Author:** ![rainy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c2a13f/32.png) [@rainy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rainy)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2011, 1:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chewing-gum-in-a-shell/569195/5 "2011-01-28T01:09:59Z")
> [@drastic\_quench](#): > > Chiclets. They might have been the original candy-coated gum. Boy, I haven’t thought of Chicklets is a couple of decades! ---
**Author:** ![MPB\_in\_Salt\_Lake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c0e974/32.png) [@MPB\_in\_Salt\_Lake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MPB_in_Salt_Lake)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2011, 1:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chewing-gum-in-a-shell/569195/6 "2011-01-28T01:15:27Z")
> [@Student\_Driver](#): > > There also seems to be a surfeit of candy-coated gums in egg shapes around Easter (including some tasty sour gums); check the seasonal foods sections in a month or two. I always try to get one of those boxes of Easter-egg shaped sour gumballs when they hit the store shelves. They are about the only Easter confection treat I really care about anymore. (no Marshmallow Peeps or Cadbury Creme Eggs for me these days) ---
**Author:** ![rainy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c2a13f/32.png) [@rainy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rainy)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2011, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chewing-gum-in-a-shell/569195/7 "2011-01-28T01:16:21Z")
> [@TBG](#): > > What brands of gum are “going to hell” when left in the truck? And exactly how bad do they get when “gone to hell”? Any of the paper wrapped pieces, for example Wriggley’s Big Red. (I’ve seen the paper wrapped Dentyne do this too, so it must be the gum base that succumbs to the heat not just the sugar.) They begin to ‘weep.’ This saturates the paper wrapping, which is then effectively glued to them. If they continue this cycle, they turn into a mushy mess. If you’re keeping them in the console, they can make a real mess – and they’re worthless to chew. I used to be a real chewing gum addict, and went through it fast enough to avoid the problem. But a car parked in the sun in summer time can destroy a pack in maybe a couple of weeks. ---
**Author:** ![Ike\_Witt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ike_witt/32/283_2.png) [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2011, 1:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chewing-gum-in-a-shell/569195/8 "2011-01-28T01:24:46Z")
> [@drastic\_quench](#): > > Chiclets. They might have been the original candy-coated gum. But real Chicle is nothing like Chiclets.