# What flavor(s) is the flavor of "bubble gum" comprised of, exactly?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-flavor-s-is-the-flavor-of-bubble-gum-comprised-of-exactly/276775>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Created:** [November 26, 2004, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-flavor-s-is-the-flavor-of-bubble-gum-comprised-of-exactly/276775 "2004-11-26T19:19:32Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![I\_can\_t\_believe\_that\_s\_butter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/8edcca/32.png) [@I\_can\_t\_believe\_that\_s\_butter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/I_can_t_believe_that_s_butter)\
**Post date:** [November 26, 2004, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-flavor-s-is-the-flavor-of-bubble-gum-comprised-of-exactly/276775/1 "2004-11-26T19:19:32Z")

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Inspired somewhat by the cream soda thread. I, for the life of me, cannot begin to fathom what is used to create this rather unique flavor. Anyone know?

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**Author:** ![rowrrbazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rowrrbazzle/32/414_2.png) [@rowrrbazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rowrrbazzle)\
**Post date:** [November 26, 2004, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-flavor-s-is-the-flavor-of-bubble-gum-comprised-of-exactly/276775/2 "2004-11-26T19:27:31Z")

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[http://www.straightdope.com/columns/980327.html](http://www.straightdope.com/columns/980327.html)

> [@](#):
>
> Dear Cecil:
> 
> Just what is the flavor of bubble gum? It doesn’t occur in nature, as far as I’m aware. Yet it’s distinctive and repeatable. There is bubble gum flavoring in bubble gum (obviously), mints, candies, and so forth. So what (except for the large amount of sugar) is bubble gum flavoring? --Rick, via AOL
> 
> Dear Rick:
> 
> We put this to a flavor expert at Topps and got this reply: “It’s lot of things. It’s hard to explain. It’s fruity, orange-ish, with butterscotch notes.” We were taken with the notion of detecting butterscotch notes in bubble gum and had a fleeting vision of Topps taste testers sampling the latest batch: “It’s a naive domestic chew, but I think you’ll be amused by its presumption.” The point is, bubble gum tastes like nothing in nature because it’s a mixture of things. Let’s call it bubble gum flavor and let it go at that.

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**Author:** ![I\_can\_t\_believe\_that\_s\_butter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/8edcca/32.png) [@I\_can\_t\_believe\_that\_s\_butter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/I_can_t_believe_that_s_butter)\
**Post date:** [November 26, 2004, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-flavor-s-is-the-flavor-of-bubble-gum-comprised-of-exactly/276775/3 "2004-11-26T19:50:08Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> _ **rowrrbazzle** channeled **Cecil** thusly:_  
> The point is, bubble gum [is] a mixture of things.

Well, there’s some comforting confirmation. I notice **Cecil** isn’t talking with regard to details, though. 😉 Is it a secret-ish recipe (_-ish_ because a lot of manufacturers utilize this recipe)?