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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.'"

12 of 96 comments (clear)

  1. Hopeful? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    When it comes to health & safety tests, I'd feel a little better about it if the developer was *confident* his product would pass.

  2. Kinda worthless for bubblegum alley by Nf1nk · · Score: 4, Interesting

    I thought of our lovely local landmark and its iconic walls of used gum. This would not be a good addition.
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bubblegum_Alley
    Its pretty gross but its also kind cool

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    I used to have a cool sig, back when I cared
  3. I invented such a thing once by Tablizer · · Score: 4, Funny

    ...I called it "Potato".

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    Table-ized A.I.
  4. One problem by Tablizer · · Score: 5, Funny

    Then what the hell are we gonna stick in a girl's hair when we're bored in class? Now we'll hafta start dating them or something.

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    Table-ized A.I.
    1. Re:One problem by MadUndergrad · · Score: 5, Funny

      Hmm....something to get in a girl's hair....that's sticky, and hard to get out......nope, nothing coming to me.

    2. Re:One problem by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

      nothing coming to me. Well there's your problem!
  5. Re:Shame it's stuck to the FP by Tablizer · · Score: 5, Funny

    This was on /. yesterday

    Guess the story is not sticky enough, eh?

    -1 bad pun

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    Table-ized A.I.
  6. 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 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).

  7. Re:If the gum is not sticking by Gordonjcp · · Score: 4, Informative

    It doesn't remove bits stuck to your teeth particularly well anyway. The main way that it (supposedly) is good for your teeth is because chewing things makes your mouth produce saliva. This would normally soak into dry things (like for instance bread) so it doesn't stick in your throat or gullet on the way down. Because gum doesn't absorb moisture, this saliva just sloshes around in your mouth washing food particles away from your teeth and diluting sugary gunk and acids.

  8. Re:Wouldn't it be better... by Atario · · Score: 4, Informative

    Gum is safe to swallow.

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    "A great democracy must be progressive or it will soon cease to be a great democracy." --Theodore Roosevelt
  9. Good Luck... by conares · · Score: 5, Funny

    ...McGyver, the next time you need to repair the wings on a flying plane you wont be doing it with chewinggum

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    That, that really grinds my gears!