Gum

Evidence of gum chewing dates back to prehistoric men and women who chewed tree resin for enjoyment.  Greek and Middle Eastern cultures chomped the resin from mastic trees to freshen their breath and other ancient cultures referred to forms of chewing gum in early writings. 

In Central America, the Mayans chewed sap from the chicle tree which became the inspiration for modern chewing gum after an American inventor tried, but failed, to use the sap to make a more durable automobile tire.

Gum was commercially available as early at the mid-1800s in chunk form and then in sticks, but early makers of chewing gum experienced a variety of problems, including difficulty adding and retaining flavor.  The first flavor introduced in gum was licorice, but the flavor faded almost immediately upon chewing.  The addition of sugar and corn syrup around 1880 helped gum maintain refreshing flavor throughout the chewing process.

The popularity of gum surged in America during the beginning of the 20th century, and the two World Wars in the first part of the century allowed the taste sensation to spread throughout the world.  By the 1950s, gum was among the most popular treats for Americans and manufacturers were introducing sugar free varieties and countless numbers of flavors.