Is there anything we can really do to make the flavor last longer? Or have we reached our limits? Is it just to expensive or can it not even be done?
If they can make it last longer, I hope they don’t. I prefer the gum once the flavor is gone. I also wish that Wrigley’s hadn’t softened up their gum a few years back. It’s got almost no resistance to it, now. I want more gumption from my gum.
Well, to the best of my knowledge, the various artificial flavors are simply mixed-in with the gum during production. The flavorant molecules are just trapped inside the base of the gum, and are liberated when you chew the gum. Once all flavorant molecules have been liberated, the only flavor that remains is the natural flavor of the gum.
I imagine if the flavorant molecules were chemically conjugated to the base in some fashion that allowed them to retain their ability to stimulate taste receptors, the flavor would last for much longer, on account of the flavorant molecules not being continually removed down your throat. This would have to be set up so that no matter what part of the base was in contact with your taste receptors, the intensity of the taste would be relatively the same, and not too intense.
The Wrigley Global Innovation Center is working hard on this very problem.
Although honestly, that article makes it seem like there’s more money in making the gum brand hip and cool than there is in making the gum last longer.
I know you’re not asking for recommendations, but IME, Orbit gum lasts longer than I care to experience the flavor. I always spit it out long before the flavor is all gone, after about 15 or 20 minutes. And Extra (the one that is supposed to last “an extra, extra, extra long time”) loses its flavor faster than most.
I’ve found that Juicy Fruit, the kind in the bubble packet, lasts the longest for me, although it’s not the typical minty flavour. I always chew it during spinning or running and it prevents the build up of extra spit and the hard cardio dry mouth I get without it. After an hour, it still has flavour, as far as I can tell.
I suppose if they can invent artificial flavors that aren’t water soluble, resistant to the enzymes in saliva, and resistant to the mechanical action of chewing, then you could have a gum that has a very long lasting flavor.
No mention of Stride? Their claim is that the flavor lasts way, way longer than every other kind of gum… and I find that to be true.