AN extra-strong chewing gum has been created by scientists to help people recover their taste and smell after losing their senses from Covid.
The intensely flavoured gum acts like physiotherapy for sensory nerves, encouraging them to regrow and repair brain connections.
An extra-strong chewing gum has been created to help people recover their sense of smell and taste Credit: Alamy
The gum acts like physiotherapy for the nerves, according to scientists Credit: Getty
Designed by Dr Nicole Yang of the University of , the chewing gum was trialled on people who had not been able to smell for three years.
They were tasked with chewing the super-strength gum daily, with some being able to recognise smells and tastes after six weeks.
The research team had initially looked for a suitable chewing gum on the market, but they found that none had strong enough flavours to stimulate the sense organs sufficiently.
So instead, they developed their own gum with multilayered flavours and sensations of hot and cold.
This invention is reminiscent of a scene in ‘s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, where Willy Wonka tries to make a chewing gum that tastes like a three-course meal.
The testing of the gum, however, was not complete and when character Violet Beauregarde tries a piece, she turns blue and expands into a ball-like shape – just like a blueberry.
The chewing gum pilot, which only involved 16 people, saw 67 per cent of pilot participants report that their sense of smell had improved.
Even more impressively, 83 per cent said their taste had got better.
Violet Beauregarde from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory pictured Credit: Alamy
The chewing gum apparently has sensations of hot and cold Credit: Kobal Collection – Shutterstock
Dr Paul Wicks, a neuropsychologist from the University of Nottingham who took part in the pilot trial after losing his sense of smell during the , said: “The first time flavour punched me in the face was a blueberry.
“I had blueberries on my cereal most mornings for the preceding year, and I just had them for nutrient content, and one day I put one in my mouth, and the entire world turned purpley blue – I felt like Violet Beauregarde.”
He added: “About a week later, I ran the over a hidden poo on the grass. It was like being hit by a garbage truck.
“Every time I fill up my machine, it’s the highlight of my week, because I get to smell the beans. I smell the kids’ at every opportunity.”
Loss of taste or smell are common side effects of and for many, these effects are permanent.
In 2022, it was estimated that 5% of the people who lost their sense of smell due to Covid experienced smell loss lasting for more than six months.
This resulted in approximately 15 million people with persistent smell dysfunction worldwide, according to a paper in Neuroscience & Behavioral Reviews .
The University of Nottingham says that a virus, head trauma or Parkinson’s disease could all also potentially trigger changed senses of smell and taste.
It is predicted that one in six people aged 65 and over will be affected by 2050.
Losing your sense of smell doesn’t just ruin your enjoyment of , it could also have serious implications because people are unable to smell leaks, fires or notice that food has gone off.
Loss of sense of smell or taste are common side effects from Covid and can sometimes be permanent Credit: Getty Loss of sense of smell and taste
The loss of sense of smell or taste – known as ansomia and ageusia – can significantly impact quality of life. While it often gets better within a few weeks or months, the condition can sometimes be permanent.
What causes this:
- Illnesses such as a cold, flu or Covid
- Sinusitis (sinus infection)
- An allergy, like hay fever
- Growths in your nose (nasal polyps)
It can also be caused by some medicines and, rarely, by more serious conditions like Parkinson’s disease or epilepsy.
These problems can cause:
- Smelling things that are not there (phantosmia), like smoke or burnt toast
- Reduced sense of smell (hyposmia)
- Changes to how things smell (parosmia)
Source: NHS
Dr Yang was aware that essential oils can be used to retrain people’s sense of smell, but she knew this method had limited success and wanted to find something more effective.
“That’s how the idea of chewing gum comes to my mind,” she said.
She continued: “When we followed up after the training the results were encouraging.
“People said they could smell more in their daily life, they said, ‘I can smell perfume, and smells on the street’.
“So it’s a very simple intervention and we think that, once the brain has been retrained, it will stay that way.”
Dr Yang acknowledged that conclusions can’t be drawn from such a small cohort, but said that results were “clear and visible” that the extra strong chewing gum had a “positive influence” on smell and taste.
The team is now hoping to test the chewing gum in larger trials.
The pilot study was presented at 2026 Flavour Day, a conference organised by the UK Flavour Association.
Eze Chidiebere Paul
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