Plant-Based Chewing Gum that ‘Traps’ Coronavirus

Subject – Science and Tech

Context – Researchers have developed a chewing gum that they say can potentially reduce transmission of the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus.

Concept –

Researchers have developed a chewing gum that they say can potentially reduce transmission of the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus.
The chewing gum is laced with a plant-grown protein, which serves as a “trap” for the virus. This reduces viral load in saliva and potentially tamps down transmission.
When a person infected with SARS-CoV-2 sneezes, coughs or speaks, some of the virus can be expelled and reach others. The chewing gum targets the virus in the saliva, and does so by trapping it with the ACE2 protein.
- The ACE2 protein in humans is where the coronavirus latches on to, in order to enter the cell.