Methods and compositions for providing improved processability for chewing gum. Pursuant to the present invention, the particle size of the sorbitol component is chosen so that a chewing gum composition is created that is sufficiently firm for processability through a typical chewing gum manufacturing process. To this end, a method is provided for regulating the firmness of a chewing gum composition including sorbitol comprising the step of selecting the particle size distribution of the sorbitol so as to create a chewing gum having desired firmness. By choosing sorbitol with reduced particle sizes, a firm chewing gum is achieved. Likewise, by choosing sorbitol with an increased particle size, a softer chewing gum is achieved.