From dictionary.com:

1. Material, usually of plant or animal origin, that contains or consists of essential body nutrients, such as carbohydrates, fats, proteins, vitamins, or minerals, and is ingested and assimilated by an organism to produce energy, stimulate growth, and maintain life.
2. A specified kind of nourishment: breakfast food; plant food.
3. Nourishment eaten in solid form: food and drink.
4. Something that nourishes or sustains in a way suggestive of physical nourishment: food for thought; food for the soul.

Gum, as far as I know, does not fit any of those definitions of food in the context of this question. It may contain a nominal amount of nutrients, etc, but it is not ingested for any purposes of growth or energy. It's not ingested at all, let alone digested, merely chewed for a bit to make one's breath nice, or something.

Gum is not candy because candy can fit that definition, though not in the best of ways. It may not be ingested/digested for its nutritional content, but candy *does* go through that process, and it is intended to do so. Gum does not, and is not intended to.

Simply selling gum alongside candy does not make it candy and therefore: a food. Just because I would sell those knockers on the front of one's door along with door deadbolts doesn't make knockers a security device. Just because I would sell Mad Magazine along with Time doesn't make Mad Magazine a news and information source.

The Other "And if Mad Magazine *is* your news and information source...I'm sorry to hear that" Matthew