Medpundit notes a push by Wrigley Company to shed a scientific light on medical benefits of gum chewing by establishing the Wrigley Science Institute.
From the press release:
“The emerging science behind these benefits supports what we’ve heard anecdotally from consumers for years, and further study could substantially change the way people use gum as part of their everyday lives,” said Surinder Kumar, Wrigley’s Chief Innovation Officer.
The new Wrigley Science Institute (WSI), the first organization of its kind focused on advancing the research and understanding of the benefits of chewing gum, will be headed by WSI Executive Director Gilbert A. Leveille, PhD. One of the world’s most respected nutrition and food science professionals, Leveille will lead an advisory panel of top scientists from around the globe, including researchers from the U.S., the U.K., and China. The inaugural meeting of the WSI Advisory Panel was recently held in Chicago at Wrigley’s new state-of-the-art Global Innovation Center.
In 2006 alone, the Wrigley Science Institute expects to support at least 10 groundbreaking research studies. This new research includes three to four studies in the U.S. and U.K. to investigate the potential role of chewing gum in appetite control and weight management, three studies in the U.K. and Asia to study the role chewing gum may have in increasing focus and concentration, and three studies in the U.S. and U.K. to assess how chewing gum may help reduce stress. Each research study will be conducted using state-of-the-art methodology in its respective field and researchers will likely complete the studies and present findings in late 2006 or 2007.
The press release…
Gum Benefits page @ Wrigley …
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