Some skateboard wheels rid the streets of used bubble gums.
Now an international research team from Finland and the USA has established how chewing gum could help to combat viruses. Their choice of arms?
The hyacinth beans. These fruits have been eaten in countries such as Kenya for a long time and also contain a protein that neutralises viruses.
A test was conducted using chewing gum made from the bean powder. Released after chewing, the protein combined with saliva to drastically reduce viral loads.
By a whopping 95% in the case of influenza A strains H1N1 and H3N2. For Herpes viruses HSV-1 and HSV-2 the figures were 75% and 94% respectively.
Oysters, meanwhile, are taking the fight to antibiotic-resistant bacteria.Â
