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MIT’s Non-Stick Coating Keeps Ketchup Flowing

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Re: MIT’s Non-Stick Coating Keeps Ketchup Flowing

#81
post #66
post #46

Earlier quoted context omitted.

My "secret" is to hold the bottle in my hand and swing my arm in a large arc, using centrifugal forces to pull the ketchup towards the mouth of the bottle. (With the cap on, obviously). SCIENCE

the only problem to this method is when it slips and the bottle ends up in the neighbors window.

"when it slips and the bottle ends up in the neighbors window."

Or someone forgets to put the top back on properly and you end up redecorating your kitchen.

Re: MIT’s Non-Stick Coating Keeps Ketchup Flowing

#82
post #76

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> It's not in their interest - wasted food means more money for the company. It's sick. But I keep wondering - why no one in this industry seems to be trying to be good and use it as a marketing advantage? "We do not try to make profits on stealing from you by wasting materials and energy like everyone else out there". I'd definitely try to buy as much as I could from such company.

Capitalism at its best - it's all about profit and outsmarting the competition. There are companies out there that try to do the right stuff - organic food, healthy stuff, etc, etc. But they struggle. They struggle because 'the good stuff' costs more to produce, therefore they have to charge more. Whilst the 'bad' companies sell unhealthy stuff at a lot lower price, thus yielding better profits. Which in turn means b…

I think you've been misinformed about organic food. It's not healthier, isn't necessarily better for the environment, and the profit margins are much higher.

Re: MIT’s Non-Stick Coating Keeps Ketchup Flowing

#84
post #8

This reminds me of NeverWet: http://youtu.be/7is6r6zXFDc?t=17s The chocolate syrup on shoe demonstration is quite compelling.

It's a cool demo but isn't practical because you'd never use a coating like that on clothing. It doesn't breathe which is pretty much the same as putting your feet in plastic bags.

Re: MIT’s Non-Stick Coating Keeps Ketchup Flowing

#85
post #57

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Knowing they FDA, they'll just ban companies from telling consumers whether or not it's in their products. Because if it's a medicine you might actually want to use, it's illegal unless you have $100 million dollars to pay for testing. But if it's something that can make food corporations money, not only doesn't it need to be tested but it's illegal for you to even know if you're eating it.

So this is never going to fly then. Why would a food company use this coating at all? It's not in their interest - wasted food means more money for the company.

Then why did ketchup companies start putting the opening on the bottom of the bottle?

Consumer convenience is a competitive advantage. Once people get used to slippery-coated bottles, they'll avoid products without it.

Re: MIT’s Non-Stick Coating Keeps Ketchup Flowing

#86
post #57

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Knowing they FDA, they'll just ban companies from telling consumers whether or not it's in their products. Because if it's a medicine you might actually want to use, it's illegal unless you have $100 million dollars to pay for testing. But if it's something that can make food corporations money, not only doesn't it need to be tested but it's illegal for you to even know if you're eating it.

So this is never going to fly then. Why would a food company use this coating at all? It's not in their interest - wasted food means more money for the company.

So do smaller containers for the same price. When you shop do you pay attention to how much usable product you're buying?

Re: MIT’s Non-Stick Coating Keeps Ketchup Flowing

#87
post #76

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Capitalism at its best - it's all about profit and outsmarting the competition. There are companies out there that try to do the right stuff - organic food, healthy stuff, etc, etc. But they struggle. They struggle because 'the good stuff' costs more to produce, therefore they have to charge more. Whilst the 'bad' companies sell unhealthy stuff at a lot lower price, thus yielding better profits. Which in turn means b…

I think you've been misinformed about organic food. It's not healthier, isn't necessarily better for the environment, and the profit margins are much higher.

Modern pesticides are not particularly toxic, but they are also not completely safe. They often break down into things like estrogen, so we know low doses are not going to kill you but they are still biologically active. Which set's up a cost benefit analysis of tiny positive vs significant cost.

Modern farming is more harmful to the area being farmed, but takes significantly less land to produce the same food which in theory means you can let more land go fallow (wild). As to profit margins farming in the US is only profitable though subsidy's so that's just a question of government incentives.

PS: Not that I actually shop for organic food, but it's not completely irrational behavior to do so.

Re: MIT’s Non-Stick Coating Keeps Ketchup Flowing

#89
post #65

> "We had a limited amount of materials to pick from," Smith says. "I can’t say what they are, but we’ve patented the hell out of it." Wait wait wait, someone needs to explain to them what the intent of a patent actually is.

So maybe they've filed the application but have not received the patent/disclosed the invention yet? In the US, you have to prove that you were the first to invent something, not the first to file something (as in Europe), so the secrecy would make some sense...

It's worth noting that the US is switching to a first-to-file system early next year.

Re: MIT’s Non-Stick Coating Keeps Ketchup Flowing

#90
post #49
post #42

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm sure they've used some unique combination, treatment and application of those materials to create this effect.

The point of a patent is that you must disclose the method in return for a limited monopoly. It's to encourage the sharing of techniques!

When a patent is granted, or 18 months after its filing, it's published. Until that time there's no obligation to disclose and no attorney would ever advise it. If the USPTO should rule it not patentable, it could still be a very valuable trade secret.
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