WWY Wrigley WM JR

CHICAGO, May 20 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- While some breath-freshening gum and mints help mask bad breath, the Wm. Wrigley Jr. Company (NYSE:WWY) today announced Eclipse(R) gum and mints will be the first in the U.S. to include magnolia bark extract (MBE) -- a natural ingredient proven to help kill the germs that cause bad breath. This breakthrough follows a 2007 Wrigley study that revealed the germ-killing benefits found in MBE, which has origins in traditional Chinese medicine. (Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20080520/AQTU103) Eclipse with MBE will be unveiled at the All Candy Expo(R), the nation's largest confections trade show, in Chicago on May 20. Eclipse gum with MBE will appear on store shelves this summer in Spearmint, Winterfrost(R), Polar Ice(R), Peppermint and new Fresh & Cool flavors. Eclipse mints with MBE will be available in September 2008 in Spearmint, Peppermint, Winterfrost and Cinnamon Inferno(R). "For Wrigley to offer this natural germ-killing ingredient is a breakthrough in the breath-freshening gum and mint categories," said Paul Chibe, Wrigley's Vice President of North American Gum Marketing. "Now people will get the best of both worlds in their favorite Eclipse gum and mints -- great taste and the ability to help kill germs that cause bad breath." According to Wrigley scientist Dr. Michael Greenberg, the most common way to treat bad breath has been to mask it with flavor found in chewing gum and mints, or to kill the bacteria that cause bad breath with antimicrobial agents found in many mouthwashes or toothpastes. "The antimicrobial agents found in many mouthwashes and toothpastes could never be used in gum and mints because of poor taste, possible tooth staining, and over-the-counter drug classification," said Greenberg. "Wrigley's research pertaining to MBE, which was published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry last November, demonstrated that MBE helps kill the bacteria that cause bad breath, and also Streptococcus mutans, the bacteria involved in tooth decay. But unlike agents found in mouthwash, it can be fully incorporated into food-based mints and chewing gum for killing bacteria that cause bad breath. That was a major step forward in enabling us to further develop these great-tasting and effective germ-killing products." About Magnolia Bark Extract MBE is isolated from the stem bark of Magnolia officinalis and is used in traditional Chinese medicines for the treatment of fever, headache, pain relief and stress reduction. A Wrigley study published in the November 2007 issue of Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry revealed significant antibacterial activity against organisms responsible for bad breath. In vitro results indicated mints containing 0.2 percent MBE reduced more than 99.9 percent of three oral bacteria within five minutes of treatment. In vivo results demonstrated mints containing MBE reduced total salivary bacteria by 61.6 percent at 30 minutes and 33.8 percent at 60 minutes after chewing. Gum with MBE reduced total salivary bacteria by 43 percent at 40 minutes, while placebo gum reduced total salivary bacteria by only 18 percent. The study also revealed that MBE helped kill some bacteria involved in dental caries formation. About Wrigley The Wm. Wrigley Jr. Company is a recognized leader in confections with a wide range of product offerings including gum, mints, hard and chewy candies, lollipops, and chocolate. The Company has global sales of $5.4 billion and distributes its world-famous brands in more than 180 countries. Three of these brands -- Wrigley's Spearmint(R), Juicy Fruit(R), and Altoids(R) -- have heritages stretching back more than a century. Other well-loved brands include Doublemint(R), Life Savers(R), Big Red(R), Boomer(R), Pim Pom(R), Winterfresh(R), Extra(R), Freedent(R), Hubba Bubba(R), Orbit(R), Excel(R), Creme Savers(R), Eclipse(R), Airwaves(R), Solano(R), Sugus(R), P.K.(R), Cool Air(R) and 5(TM). Product photos and complete research study available upon request http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20080520/AQTU103 http://photoarchive.ap.org/ DATASOURCE: Wrigley CONTACT: Brian Wright, Director - Marketing Communications of Wm. Wrigley Jr. Company, +1-312-645-3057

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