Chinese company launches chewing gum with tea polyphenols
Chinese confectionary manufacturer Zhaolong Foods has secured a patent to manufacture chewing gum enriched with antioxidants found in tea and has set its sights on the US market. The novel product, developed in partnership with Anhui Agricultural University, is based on microencapsulation technology to store natural tea polyphenols in thin coatings inside the gum and release them once chewed. The creators hope that the new product may be a way to introduce tea to other countries, specifically the US, where they plan to pitch the gum to Whole Foods and Teavana. The product is expected to hit specialty store shelves in October across China.