Can you eat stride gum wrappers?

In this article, we will answer the question “Can you eat stride gum wrappers?” and discuss Can you eat trident gum wrappers?

Can you eat stride gum wrappers?

Yes, you can eat stride gum wrappers. Similarly, any paper might be eaten or chewed, although this is not suggested. Papers and wrappers cannot be digested by the human body and may cause negative effects in the digestive tract. 

Food wrappers are generally not toxic. The Food and Drug Administration in the United States oversees the safety of all food contact substances, such as gum wrappers. Chewing gum wrappers consist of non-toxic components and are safe to use in moderation (2).

What are the risks of eating stride gum wrappers?

The risks of eating stride gum wrappers are of gastric drawbacks. Gum wrappers and papers in general are not safe to eat, since the ingestion of cellulose may lead to bezoars in the digestive tract. 

A bezoar is an indigestible conglomeration trapped in the gastrointestinal tract. This indigestible mass can be formed by a variety of materials that were intentionally or accidentally ingested. Among these materials for some reason ingested, paper is an example.

Representative substances forming bezoars include plant materials such as fibers, skins and seeds of vegetables and fruits. Some of these foods contain high amounts of cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin, which are nondigestible food materials (1).

Bezoars can cause gastric outlet obstruction, ileus, ulcerations due to pressure necrosis, and subsequent gastrointestinal bleeding and must be removed as soon as they are formed in the gastric tract. 

Are stride gum wrappers toxic?

Stride gum wrappers are not toxic. The packaging materials to be used in contact with food must be approved by the FDA in terms of safety. The FDA regulates industry to ensure that food contact substances are safe (2).

The FDA evaluates all materials to be used in contact with food for possible effects of toxicity, allergenicity, and the possibility of causing cancer of mutation. In addition, tests regarding the migration of elements from the material to the food, such as additives used in the production of papers and plastics, are performed.

What happens if you accidentally eat a stride gum wrapper?

In the case of the accidental ingestion of gum wrappers, you should be aware of the possible symptoms. In many cases, ingesting low quantities of papers or non-digestible materials is harmful. In low quantities, the gum wrapper will usually pass through your digestive system without causing any negative effects. 

However, in larger quantities, it can lead to bezoars. Bezoars can be manifested in any individual, however, there are some individuals that are more vulnerable, including patients with a previous gastric surgery, in case of peptic ulcer disease, chronic gastritis, Crohn’s disease, dehydration and hypothyroidism. 

A lower production of gastric acid and lower gastric motility and delayed emptying are also considered risk factors to develop a bezoar.

What should you do if you have a gastric obstruction?

If you have a gastric obstruction due to the ingestion of gum wrappers, you should seek medical advice. Possible therapeutic treatments used are the ingestion of enzymes that dissolve cellulosic material, such as cellulase, pectinase, papain, or a mixture of enzymes, and the use of metoclopramide or N-acetylcysteine (3). 

Endoscopic removal can be used, but in more serious cases, surgical intervention is required. Recently, the carbonated beverage Coca-Cola (The Coca-Cola Company) has been used successfully to dissolve bezoars.

Although the mechanism of the therapeutic action of coke is still not fully understood, it is possible that the sodium bicarbonate found in Coca-Cola may have a mucolytic effect. 

The carbon dioxide bubbles penetrate the cellulosic material helping digestion, added to the digestive effect of the phosphoric and carbonic acid and the low pH of the beverage, which is 2.6. As a result, diet coke may be effective at treating gastric obstructions caused by the ingestion of lignocellulosic materials.

Conclusion

In this article, we answered the question “Can you eat stride gum wrappers?” and we discussed Can you eat trident gum wrappers?

Reference

  1. Iwamuro, Masaya, et al. Review of the diagnosis and management of gastrointestinal bezoars. World j gastrointest endosc, 2015,7, 336.
  2. Regulatory Report: Assessing the Safety of Food Contact Substances. Food and Drug Administration.
  3. Kramer, Scott J., and Mark B. Pochapin. Gastric phytobezoar dissolution with ingestion of diet coke and cellulase. Gastroenterol Hepatol, 2012, 8, 770.

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