Although chewing gum can be traced back to civilizations worldwide, the modernization and commercialization of this product mainly took place in the United States. The American Indians chewed resin made from the sap of spruce trees.[11] The New England settlers picked up this practice, and in 1848, John B. Curtis developed and sold the first commercial chewing gum called The State of Maine Pure Spruce Gum. In this way, the industrializing West, having forgotten about tree gums, rediscovered chewing gum through the First Americans. Around 1850 a gum made from paraffin wax, a petroleum product, was developed and soon exceeded the spruce gum in popularity.
Food-grade paraffin wax is considered edible. It is composed of vegetable oils, palm oil derivatives, and synthetic resins, plus other materials that pass through the body undigested and contain no nutritional value. Some paraffin, such as the scented variety sold for candle-making and beauty treatments, should never be ingested.
Shiny Coating for Chocolate
Paraffin wax has both cosmetic and functional purposes when used with chocolate. Adding paraffin wax to melted chocolate gives it a glossy finish when it hardens. It also helps the chocolate remain solid at room temperature. Paraffin appears as an additive in some brands of candy bars to keep them from melting in your hand. It is also the main ingredient in chocolate coatings such as those found on ice cream or chocolate-dipped cookies.
Recipes for treats that are popular during the holiday season might call for paraffin wax as well, such as chocolate-covered cherry mice, ideal for Halloween as well as Christmas.
Shiny Preservative for Fruits
Paraffin wax may be sprayed on fruits and vegetables to add shine and make them more appealing. It also helps extend the shelf life by retaining moisture. Some fruits, such as apples, produce a natural wax, which can easily be washed away with water and a little gentle rubbing; additional synthetic wax sometimes augments this natural coating, making it more difficult to remove. Generally, a quick soak in vinegar or lemon juice-enhanced water makes it easier to wipe the wax away.
Organic fruit producers cannot use petroleum-based wax on their product. They can, however, use some forms of naturally derived wax, such as carnauba, and still be compliant with the organic designation.
Other Uses
Paraffin wax shows up in some surprising places, like sausages, and is used to coat cured sausage links to give them luster. Maybe not so surprising is that paraffin is part of the novelty candies shaped wax lips, mustaches, and miniature soda bottles filled with flavored liquid.
https://www.crayola.com/faq/science/can-you-provide-information-about-the-science-of-crayola-crayons/
Lot of people munching on paraffin wax out there.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chewing_gum
https://www.thespruceeats.com/what-is-paraffin-wax-1807043
Thank you ChatGPT, very nice.