EXHIBIT 99.1

COMPANY PRESS RELEASE

                         GUM TECH ARRANGES $6 MILLION IN
                     FINANCING FROM CITADEL INVESTMENT GROUP

PHOENIX,  March 30, 1999 -- Gum Tech International,  Inc. (Nasdaq:  GUMM - news)
announced  today that it has  arranged  for $6 million in  financing in combined
senior debt and preferred equity from Citadel  Investment  Group, LLC, a Chicago
based investment fund manager. The arrangement provides that Gum Tech may redeem
the debt and repurchase the preferred  stock with common stock rather than cash,
at Gum Tech's option.

Gum Tech's Chief Financial Officer,  William Hemelt,  said, "The primary purpose
of this financing is to provide initial funding for test marketing the ZICAM(TM)
homeopathic  cold remedy and to follow-up  the initial  research  with  clinical
studies on the ability of ZICAM(TM) to prevent and eliminate the symptoms of the
common cold, as well as its efficacy as a remedy for many common allergies."

According to Hemelt,  "The company worked hard to arrange  funding which results
in as little  dilution as possible to our current  shareholders.  The  agreement
allows us to repay the financing with cash from future profits, or common stock,
whichever is in the best interests of shareholders in the future."

The proposed  private  placement is subject to the negotiation and delivery of a
definitive  purchase  agreement  and related  documents  and the  completion  of
satisfactory due diligence by the purchaser.  There can be no guarantee that Gum
Tech will be able to successfully complete the proposed private placement.

The securities to be offered will not be registered  under the Securities Act of
1933 and may not be offered or sold in the United States absent  registration or
an applicable exemption from registration requirements.

Gum Tech is located at 246 East Watkins Street, Phoenix,  Arizona 85004, E-mail:
Brown@gum-tech.com.

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