Tag: gum

  • Zuum energy gum rolls out in Chemist Warehouse stores

    Zuum energy gum rolls out in Chemist Warehouse stores

    A Melbourne-based startup is offering a fresh take on the caffeinated foods market by launching a sugar-free “energy gum” in Chemist Warehouse stores nationwide.

    Zuum is a sugar-free gum infused with caffeine, guarana, and B vitamins that claim to boost energy, reduce fatigue and support focus.

    Each piece of gum contains only four calories but has the equivalent caffeine content of a coffee or energy drink – sans sugar, aspartame, and other nasties.

    Friends Alex Chambers, Eamon Roderick, and Hugo Gray created Zuum in 2020 because they were fed up with sickly-sweet energy drinks and the inconvenience and expense of coffee.

    “We knew there had to be a better way to get a boost,” remarked Chambers.

    “The idea actually came to us whilst we grimaced through a lukewarm energy drink during Covid quarantine. It was as simple as – why don’t we just put caffeine in gum?”

    One packet of Zuum is equivalent to five cups of coffee and is compact enough to keep in a pocket or purse for a “fresh-tasting” energy boost.

    “We were humbled and overwhelmed with the level of interest and excitement this week,” added Roderick.

    “We’ve had a huge number of high-profile athletes, professional sports clubs, entertainers, and even a well-known former politician reach out to us wanting to jump on board because they loved the product so much,”

    Zuum is available at RRP$5.99 in Chemist Warehouse stores nationwide and online.

  • Stride launches four new chewing gum flavours in Australia

    Stride launches four new chewing gum flavours in Australia

    Sugar-free chewing gum brand Stride is to add four new flavors to its range in Australia this month.

    The four new options are Mango Peach, Lim Passionfruit, Lemonade, and Cool Peppermint. Stride’s new range will be available exclusively at Coles and Coles Express stores from tomorrow (May 10) at RRP $3 per bottle.

    “We’re eager to unleash Stride chewing gum in Australia, delivering an enjoyable chewing experience via four delicious long-lasting flavors,” said Paul Chatfield, senior marketing director at Mondelez International ANZ.

    Launched in 2007, Stride was created by Mondelez International-owned Cadbury. The chewing gum range now consists of 20 flavors, including its Stride 2.0 line.

  • Docomo, Tohoku Uni to use AI for gum disease detection

    Docomo, Tohoku Uni to use AI for gum disease detection

    NTT Docomo and Tohoku University have launched a research initiative to jointly develop a service using AI technology to detect periodontal disease.

    The AI-based service will photograph a person’s gums with a smartphone and analyze gum color and shape, compensating for photo brightness and camera shake, to determine the risk of periodontal disease.

    Docomo said the service combines the operator’s expertise in AI technology with Tohoku University’s expertise in oral diseases and extensive data on medical examinations and research.

    It provides a practical, everyday solution to help users to understand their personal risks by facilitating better communication with dentists and increased examinations aimed at preventing early-stage periodontal disease from becoming serious.

    Docomo and Tohoku University also plan to use their AI technology for the detection of additional oral diseases, such as temporomandibular disorders and oral cancer.

    A device-based tool for determining disease risks is slated for commercial launch by March 2023.

    In Japan, periodontal disease is present in 61% of adults in their 20s, 71% in their 40s and 75% in their 60s, according to a survey conducted by Japan’s Ministry of Health and Welfare in 2016.

    Confirmation of the disease requires going to dental office to be examined, which is often inconvenient for working people.

    The Japanese Society for Oral Health Magazine estimated in 2018 that only 4.3% of people between the ages of 40 and 70 receive examinations and many do not consult dentists until symptoms become severe.