IT’S OFTEN SEEN as one of the worst litter scourges – an eyesore that pervades almost every major city in the world.

But the problem of chewing gum stuck to pavements – or under desks and chairs – could soon be a thing of the past, thanks to new research carried out at University College Cork.

Professor Elke Arendt, of the UCC School of Food and Nutritional Sciences, has developed a new version of the gum which, instead of being made from sticky synthetic rubber, is comprised entirely of biodegradable ingredients.

The new version uses cereal proteins as the main ingredient for the product, modifying them by using ingredients that increase their elasticity to give them the usual chewy texture associated with other gums.

The university has taken out a patent on the gum, and now is now looking for other companies to help bring the product to the market – where it could potentially replace its veteran cousin which has existed in various forms for almost 5,000 years.

Because the new gum is entirely biodegradable it can also, literally, be chewed until it dissolves in the mouth – which takes about 45 minutes.

If they become simply too impatient to wait that long, and throw the gum onto the pavement, it can be easily swept away just as if it was any other kind of litter – because it will not stick to the ground.

It can also be safely swallowed by anyone who wants to do so – or by any other creatures which might come across it.

The discovery was spawned by Arendt’s research in gluten-free cereals, where wheat needs to be replaced by other proteins with similar textures and properties.

Arendt is seen as a worldwide leader in gluten-free research, and leads a term of over 20 researchers and doctorate students.