Chew on this: Forest Gum makes microplastic-free a certified reality
The world’s first chewing gum brand with independent flustix certification for microplastic-free product content, and a new benchmark for claims consumers cannot verify themselves.
There’s more to chewing gum than meets the eye. Quite literally. Conventional gum bases often contain synthetic plastics, something most people hardly think about when reaching for a packet of gum. Cologne-based Forest Gum has set out to do things differently.
Founded in 2019 by Thomas Krämer, Forest Gum uses a plant-based gum base made with FSC 100%-certified natural rubber. Now it has become the first chewing gum brand worldwide to receive independent certification under the flustix programme “PLASTIC-FREE – Product Content Microplastic-Free”.
What you cannot see is exactly what needs proof
“Microplastics are something consumers cannot see, taste, smell or feel. That makes it all the more important to certify microplastic-free properties independently and on a sound scientific basis. Forest Gum shows how a brand promise can become reliable product evidence that consumers can verify,” says Malte Biss, Founder & CEO of flustix.
The relevance is clear. In its October 2026 Consumer Monitor, Germany’s Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR) reported that 84% of respondents had heard about possible health risks associated with microplastics in food and cosmetics. A 2026 study involving EFSA and the BfR also found that many German and Italian consumers were willing to change their behaviour to reduce exposure. These findings underline the importance of clear, credible product information.
Read more in the flustix consumer study What consumers think about microplastics.
From a good idea to a certified claim
This is not simply a check of the ingredient list. Laboratory analysis by ISO/IEC 17025-accredited CURRENTA examines the tested product content under the flustix programme, including potential unintended microplastic inputs from raw materials and production. Independent certification was performed by TÜV SÜD in Austria, accredited to ISO/IEC 17065. The programme refers to the EU definition of synthetic polymer microparticles under REACH, as set out in Regulation (EU) 2023/2055.
“For us, certification is an important milestone: our ambition becomes an independently verified product property. We hope such evidence will become standard, especially when it comes to microplastics in food,” says Thomas Krämer, founder of Forest Gum.
With the EU’s Empowering Consumers Directive (EmpCo) tightening the rules around environmental communication, Forest Gum offers a timely example of how to back up a sustainability claim with third-party evidence. A product that is easy to enjoy now comes with a claim that is easy to check.
Explore the independent evidence: the Forest Gum certificate FPMT022.
Sources
- BfR Consumer Monitor (16 October 2026, in German)
- EFSA/BfR study: Janzik et al. (2026), Journal of Environmental Psychology