Can Chewing Gum Be Used for DNA Testing?
Used chewing gum may contain saliva and cellular material from the person who chewed it, but suitability must be assessed before submission. Gum is treated as a special, non-standard sample.
Sample type: Laboratory assessment required · Typical suitability: Case dependent
What affects a chewing gum sample
Recovery generally depends on how long the gum was chewed, how recently it was discarded, whether it dried out, and whether it picked up contamination from surfaces, packaging or other people.
Sugar, heat and moisture can accelerate degradation, so a fresher, cleanly stored sample is normally preferable.
Before you send chewing gum
Let a coordinator review the details first. Do not mail the sample until acceptance and packaging instructions have been confirmed.
What helps a sample
- Allow the sample to air-dry and store it in clean paper, not sealed plastic.
- Avoid touching the chewed surfaces directly.
- Only one contributor should ideally have chewed the gum.
- Not suitable for legal or official testing unless specifically instructed.
FAQ
Questions about chewing gum samples
No sample can be guaranteed to produce a usable DNA profile. Laboratory analysis is performed by qualified, accredited laboratory partners, and acceptance of any report by a third party is not guaranteed.