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Virtually Non-Stick Gum Created

Posted by Zonk on from the does-it-taste-any-good dept.

An anonymous reader writes "A new polymer has been developed by Professor Terence Cosgrove that allows for a non-sticky gum. In testing the gum was removed by weather while the competitor's gum was not removed 4 out of 5 times. The BBC reports: 'The company now needs to get its polymer accepted as a food product by passing EU health and safety tests. It can then go on sale. Professor Cosgrove says he is hopeful that the gum will pass them, and says the product could be on the market as early as next year, either as a Revolymer product or through a partnership with one of the major chewing gum manufacturers.'"

7 of 96 comments (clear)

  1. Shame it's stuck to the FP by Kazzahdrane · · Score: 2, Insightful

    This was on /. yesterday, with the same BBC news link! Interesting story though.

  2. No one will buy gum because it's non-stick by nysus · · Score: 4, Insightful

    They will buy it because it tastes good. How many kids out there would would make a buying decision based on what's in the best interest of others. The costs of carelessly discarded gum are externalized and don't affect the chewer. So I don't see how this product will ever be successful.

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    ---Technology will liberate us if it doesn't enslave us first.

    1. Re:No one will buy gum because it's non-stick by catbutt · · Score: 2, Insightful

      In theory anyway, a city or school could outlaw sticky gum once the non-sticky kind is available. On the basis of it costing a lot of money to clean up the gum (or if they don't, gum all over sidewalks is ugly).

    2. Re:No one will buy gum because it's non-stick by Chris+Graham · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Maintaining a good general image is important to the gum manufacturers. They currently (at least in the UK) pay quite a bit of money to produce advertising for people to not leave gum stuck to things. It stops a public outcry against the companies, and stops the government producing legislation giving them property damage liability. The manufacturers who don't pick this new technology will receive bad PR (as their current stance would become untenable), and that would impact on any shops selling their gum. However, I could easily see new vendors starting to sell gum that was non-stick, if those vendors previously had not done so to protect their own establishments (e.g. cinemas).

  3. Wouldn't it be better... by Zouden · · Score: 3, Insightful

    ...to just make a gum that's safe to swallow?

    --
    "A week in the lab saves an hour in the library"
  4. Given that it dissolves in water... by randomtimes · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Since it dissolves in water, won't chewing for a long time mean it'll slowly dissolve in your mouth and disappear? At least accidental ingestion shouldn't be a problem anymore.

  5. What about dental appliances? by drdanny_orig · · Score: 2, Insightful

    At first read, I thought they meant it wouldn't stick to dental work. Who cares about sidewalks and theater seats?

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    .nosig