A man from the Chicago area who spent much of his life developing new kinds of chewing gum is now using his expertise to help American troops serving in combat.
Retired chewing gum inventor Ron Ream is a former Wrigley Company inventor and Aurora native.
He began working with scientists at a Florida lab some years ago and discovered that a stick of gum containing caffeine provided an instant boost compared to a cup of coffee, an espresso shot or energy bars.
This past summer, after 10 years of research, Ream’s Plano, Ill. firm Marketright distributed a caffeine gum, available only to a very specific consumer: first-responders fighting the war in Iraq.
Ignited by a federal grant secured by former House Speaker Dennis Hastert back in 1998, Ream collaborated with scientists of the Walter Reed Army Institute to research the effects of a caffeine gum containing 100 mg of caffeine per piece. One piece has the caffeine content of a six-ounce cup of coffee.
Marketright firm has distributed 500,000 packages of Stay Alert Gum to the military so far, Ream said. The contract lasts two years.
Photo by Marketright.
CoolProducts on November 14th, 2008 at 12:09 pm
I could use some of that right now…
Angela on November 14th, 2008 at 3:02 pm
It sounds like it would taste disgusting. That much caffeine in a piece of gum would have to taste pretty bad. However, if it is effective then I doubt the taste would matter as much.
Jaclyn on November 15th, 2008 at 4:05 pm
I think this is a great idea for our troops…i’m sure there’s nothing worse then falling asleep at a very wrong wrong time for them! obviously they can’t have coffee on them at all time’s while being active, so gum does make sense, something they can stick in their pocket and have ready at any time they need it! however, i do agree that it sounds like it taste bad, but then again think about nicotine gum…you would think that would taste bad but from what i hear it doesn’t, so i’m sure this caffeine gum has some sort of flavor to it.
jeffrey on November 16th, 2008 at 2:31 pm
they should put LSD or speed in them, more effective than caffeine!
i heard some US fighter pilots have been experimenting with these drugs..
cassy on November 16th, 2008 at 10:36 pm
Well… If it really effective, I think they also have to sell it to world market so that our country can also buy it and give to our militarymen and policemen here in our place.
Its not easy to be awake all the time and having this kind of gum in the pocket is a way to stay alert and awake.