Scientists Create Permanently Slick Surface So Ketchup Won't Stay In Bottle

HughPickens.com writes Much of what we buy never makes it out of the container and is instead thrown away — up to a quarter of skin lotion, 16 percent of laundry detergent and 15 percent of condiments like mustard and ketchup. Now Kenneth Chang reports at the NYT that scientists have just solved one of life's little problems — how to get that last little bit of ketchup (or glue) out of a bottle. Using a coating that makes the inside of the bottle permanently wet and slippery, glue quickly slides to the nozzle or back down to the bottom. The technology could have major environmental payoffs by reducing waste. Superhydrophobic surfaces work similar to air hockey tables. Tiny peaks and valleys on the surface create a thin layer of air between the liquid and the coating. The air decreases friction, so the liquid almost levitates above the surface, just like the hockey puck floats above the table. LiquiGlide's approach is similar, but it uses a liquid lubricant, not a gas. "What could be a solution that provides sort of universal slipperiness?" says Dr. Varanasi. "The idea we had was, Why not think about trapping a liquid in these features?" Dr. Varanasi and Mr. Smith worked out a theory to predict interactions among the surface, the lubricant and air. Essentially, the lubricant binds more strongly to the textured surface than to the liquid, and that allows the liquid to slide on a layer of lubricant instead of being pinned against the surface, and the textured surface keeps the lubricant from slipping out. "We're not defying physics, but effectively, we are," says Smith.

Comments

How is this new?

[dorpus]

I've seen these sorts of videos for at least 5 years now. Where are the commercial products?

Re:How is this new?

[xnerd00x]

There is absolutely no incentive for Heinz to put this into their bottles. This means people will spend less on average on ketchup per year since they can get every last bit out of the bottle. I know it may not seem like much, but multiply it by millions of bottles sold and it adds up to a hefty hit on their bottom line.

Re:How is this new?

[gstoddart]

You're thinking about it all wrong.

You turn it over, half the bottle dumps onto your food. You have to buy twice as much. Effectively they can increase food waste, and therefore sales, under the guise of environmentalism. Sure, we'll help you get every last drop ... just all at once.

I know the last thing my wife wants is for me to have the mustard come out of the bottle any faster. I always end up with far too much as it is. ;-)

If the ketchup came out faster we'd be doomed.

Re:How is this new?

[fustakrakich]

They'll sell smaller bottles for the same price, and they'll enjoy lower shipping prices. Win-win, kinda.

Re:How is this new?

[Anonymous Coward]

I'm not sure they know how air hockey tables work either.

Re:How is this new?

[Anonymous Coward]

I know the last thing my wife wants is for me to have the mustard come out of the bottle any faster.

That's what she said!

Heyoooooooo!

Re:How is this new?

[Sowelu]

Charge an extra $0.30 per bottle just for the novelty factor, while at the same time converting more people away from the store brand.

Re:How is this new?

[camperdave]

The money they could make by advertising no-stick bottles far and away outweighs the losses due to the customer getting a packet worth of extra ketchup out of the bottle.

Re:How is this new?

[Caitlin2013D]

Can totally see this. People expecting it to stick in restaurants. Turn it over and instinctively hit the bottom. Entire bottle on plate!

Re:How is this new?

[StikyPad]

Yes there is. Competition. Absent collusion, someone will implement it in an attempt to gain or maintain market share. I'm not saying the free market is a panacea, but that's the incentive, and I suspect it's compelling enough in this case.

Re:How is this new?

[Anonymous Coward]

We're not defying physics, but effectively, we are," says Smith.

"We don't say stupid shit to bait journos into publiciing out work, but effectively, we do" says the scientist who can't compete on merit.

Re:How is this new?

[Anonymous Coward]

Sort of this.

But in reaction to it, they could equally just create smaller bottles, tiny bit less costly, probably make a shitton more money because of how thick people are because they will think smaller = less, regardless of the not-all-that-technical unit prices.

Smaller bottles also means simpler fabrication process overall, allowing them to close the larger bottle fabs, or converting them to small bottles.
Less glass use, less plastic use, and probably hilariously more sales due to the above "people are thick" issue.

Re:How is this new?

[bluefoxlucid]

That won't happen. Ketchup is a non-newtonian fluid: its viscosity changes with shear force, and so it refuses to flow until adequate force is applied. That's why ketchup doesn't leave the bottle with gentle force, but spurts out when squeezed. It will retain its shape just fine until forced out.

Heinz will collapse as a company and be bought by Kraft or something stupid while Hunts goes on to advertise to housewives that they can get that last squirt with their bottle.

Re:How is this new?

[Anonymous Coward]

There is absolutely no incentive for Heinz to put this into their bottles. This means people will spend less on average on ketchup per year since they can get every last bit out of the bottle. I know it may not seem like much, but multiply it by millions of bottles sold and it adds up to a hefty hit on their bottom line.

Redesigned Deer Park Water bottles have a big indentation in the bottom. Same physical size as the old 1 gallon bottles but only hold 3 quarts.

Re:How is this new?

[cayenne8]

I'm wondering, is this the next round of BPA /phthalates that we find are bad for us?

Re:How is this new?

[Jarik C-Bol]

I don't think it really matters if they put it in their bottle or not, we're all going to still have 3 half full and expired bottles of Ketchup in the fridge anyways.

Re:How is this new?

[Anonymous Coward]

How many fewer non-stick bottles of ketchup would you buy over your entire lifetime to make up for the "stuck" ketchup you wasted by throwing out? Less than single bottle's worth perhaps? You're going to die with ketchup in your fridge anyway.

Very early in Heinz' history, they sold their product in clear bottles. This is cited as an example of competition where they proved to their customer that they had a superior quality sauce and didn't need to be cover it up with opaque bottles.

It's easy to imagine Heinz doing this for novelty factor alone and for other lasting benefits: promoting less waste and easier dispensing of product.

Re:How is this new?

[JMJimmy]

I'm wondering, is this the next round of BPA /phthalates that we find are bad for us?

Of course it is, but we won't do any sort of health testing until decades later when it's in most of our products.

Re:How is this new?

[DutchUncle]

You have it backwards. Heinz is buying Kraft. http://fortune.com/2015/03/24/...

Re:How is this new?

[Dutch Gun]

Of course there's an incentive. Just like with anything else, Heinz dominance in the ketchup market is not guaranteed. Consumers ALWAYS have the option of switching to another brand like Hunt's, or a generic store brand that's cheaper. Heinz wants give consumers a reason for choosing a slightly more expensive national brand, and a better bottle may be a part of that decision.

Moreover, what can you really do to market ketchup? It's not exactly a product that you can improve on in terms of the food itself. They've already been improving bottles in many ways (more convenient plastic squeeze bottles that you can store upside down, improved caps, tamper-resistant seals that are easier to open, etc), so it's very likely that they'll adopt this if the cost isn't exorbitant. In fact, they'll probably actually feature that bottle in a marketing campaign if it's a significant improvement from the current standard.

Re:How is this new?

[Anonymous Coward]

If they can charege the same amount for smaller bottles containing less containing less product, then yes there is a very good reason to do it. Also, enough people know about this that it would be a viable selling point for a competitor. It is in their best interest to maintain their dominance by doing it before somebody else does.

Re:How is this new?

[Krishnoid]

That may not be what you have to worry about. In fact, if these problems come to pass, it would probably solve the obesity epidemic in a month.

Re:How is this new?

[jeffmeden]

In the history of "conservation" no one has managed to turn the ability to use less of a product, into the *practice* of using less of a product. How often do you let the empty ketchup bottle "ride" in the fridge and squeeze a few faint drops on each hot dog hoping to get the last of it, while really only putting 1/10th your normal amount on? Yep. Now, you can get your full ketchup fix on time, every time. And when the bottle is gone it's gone, no more "maybe one more blob of salt-tomato-vinegar heaven, if I shake it just right!" instead, it's on to the next new bottle, and the next full load of ketchup on your bratwurst, and even BETTER sales for Kraft/Heinz.

Further reading: energy efficiency != energy conservation: http://freakonomics.com/2015/0...

Re:How is this new?

[idontgno]

OTOH, who can resist the opportunity to revive the phrase "anal leakage"?

Re:How is this new?

[Anonymous Coward]

Not for Heinz, that's true--they have managed to corner the Ketchup market, similar to Coke and Pepsi with Cola.

However, for most other things, it will happen. And it could happen with ketchup as well, if another company that has decent Ketchup comes out with one and advertises (*cough* greenwashes *cough*) themselves as the most environmentally product.

Heinz will either step up or be looked down upon for filling the ocean with plastic.

Re:How is this new?

[taiwanjohn]

There's a very simple solution to the ketchup bottle problem: turn it sideways.

Most people hold the ketchup bottle vertically upside down over their plate and slap the bottom to make the ketchup come out. This doesn't work very well. Instead you hold the bottle horizontally over your plate and hit the side, so that there's plenty of room for air to enter the bottle while the ketchup flows out. Works every time. Try it.

Re:How is this new?

[grimmjeeper]

Ah, the fond memories...

Re:How is this new?

[Anonymous Coward]

I thought the article says it's because of the texture of the surface that's causing the effect... so no new chemicals here.

Maybe the new shape allows more of the BPA/phthalates to escape into our food but this doesn't look like some exotic chemical coating they're spraying into the bottle.

Re:How is this new?

[newcastlejon]

Even simpler solution: use a plastic squeeze bottle. No mess, and they're probably cheaper than the glass ones to boot. Also, if you get one that dispenses from the bottom, you don't have to deal with that liquid that tends to rise to the top.

Re:How is this new?

[Anonymous Coward]

I've heard of food blogs, but what you've linked is obviously a FUD blog.

Re:How is this new?

[Anonymous Coward]

They're doing that anyway, at least in the EU, since standard package sizing rules were dropped.

Re:How is this new?

[taiwanjohn]

Just had this "problem" the other day... I squeeze the bottle and nothing comes out, so I squeeze harder and harder until suddenly I hit the "breakthrough" point and get an avalanche. I do not like those squeeze bottles, thank you very much, the glass bottles work much better for me.

Re:How is this new?

[aliquis]

Or nano-particles and what about the liquid lubricant hanging around with your food? What lubricant? Not that it got to be dangerous.

Re:How is this new?

[fisted]

Yes, this. And violently shake before opening.

Re:How is this new?

[BoRegardless]

Had a roommate that went through a Heinz catsup factory. Watched what they put "into the vats" and said he never ate ketchup again.

Re:How is this new?

[leenks]

In a word, no. "A lubricating liquid is sprayed onto the porous surface, filling the tiny gaps. The liquid is held in place by capillary forces and creates a slippery surface for food or other liquids."

Re: How is this new?

[perryizgr8]

Is there any problem plastic can't solve?

Re:How is this new?

[fahrbot-bot]

I'm wondering, is this the next round of BPA /phthalates that we find are bad for us?

From TF-NYT-A: (emphasis mine)

The approach also allows them to vary the ingredients of the textured layer and the lubricant to fit the properties of different liquids — for food applications, the coatings are derived from edible materials.

Re:How is this new?

[zippthorne]

Unfortunately, that solution is so obvious that the condiment makers have made it for us. Where can you even get a glass bottle of ketchup any more?

Re:How is this new?

[Anonymous Coward]

er, what? I didn't bother reading the article, because I know your statement isn't true. Just one example, defaulting printer drivers to double-sided printing significantly reduced our office's paper spend.

Re:How is this new?

[Anonymous Coward]

But collusion will happen even without any attempts. Everyone will look at the lessons learned from nuclear weapons: If you have it someone else will too. And, unfortunately, there isn't some insane costs nor an international governing body to make sure that no more competitors are allowed into the slippery bottle club after the first few win the race. Thus, from their perspective, everyone will inevitably lose. So, they all develop their slippery bottles and then never use them. Either that, or they charge more for a feel good product to make up for the losses.

Re:How is this new?

[sootman]

> You turn it over, half the bottle dumps onto your food.

Insightful? REALLY? I didn't read that they're making the ketchup thinner or removing the small hole in the end of the cap. The article shows a glass ketchup bottle, true, but the other bottles shown are the more common squeezable plastic kind. The last time I used a glass ketchup bottle was maybe 10 years ago in a restaurant.

Re:How is this new?

[Ksevio]

But if they can sell a less frustrating product than their competitors then they might make more money

Re:How is this new?

[dbIII]

Just wait until you've seen how fish sauce is made, or woostershire sauce.
I got some very funny looks when I checked the use by date on a bottle of fish sauce. It's already gone off so the date is mere decoration.

Re:How is this new?

[Waccoon]

I was wondering why they replaced their wonderful crosshair squeeze tops with normal pop-tops within the last few years. The old bottles were very precise and clean. The new ones just glop the stuff out.

Just the latest round of, "you're holding it wrong," I guess.

Re:How is this new?

[tinkerton]

Sensible comment. There's a marketing story about how a toothpaste increased their sales by 15% just by increasing the size of the opening of the tube. Since then, they've all done that. And with they I don't mean toothpaste brands. Think about it the next time you squirt some detergent in the sink

Re:How is this new?

[SternisheFan]

If you knew what I know about what happens when orange juice is shipped in bulk container ships before it's packaged for sale, you would never drink OJ again.

Re:How is this new?

[SternisheFan]

I'll stick with the old butter knife trick to start the ketchup (catsup??) flowing, still impresses the ladies at the dinner table.

Re:How is this new?

[Anonymous Coward]

As an orange juice drinker, I'm actually curious. Please tell me. Also, does it have to do with finding the boxes sometimes puffed out on store shelves?

Re:How is this new?

[sociocapitalist]

They'll sell smaller bottles for the same price, and they'll enjoy lower shipping prices. Win-win, kinda.

People won't buy smaller bottles for the same price.

Re:How is this new?

[sociocapitalist]

There is absolutely no incentive for Heinz to put this into their bottles. This means people will spend less on average on ketchup per year since they can get every last bit out of the bottle. I know it may not seem like much, but multiply it by millions of bottles sold and it adds up to a hefty hit on their bottom line.

And thus a need for...regulation.

And for all you who think that the free market works well without government intervention- enjoy your wasted ketchup (or whatever) because this ain't never gonna happen wi'out no reg-u-la-shun.

Re:How is this new?

[sociocapitalist]

You're thinking about it all wrong.

You turn it over, half the bottle dumps onto your food. You have to buy twice as much. Effectively they can increase food waste, and therefore sales, under the guise of environmentalism. Sure, we'll help you get every last drop ... just all at once.

I know the last thing my wife wants is for me to have the mustard come out of the bottle any faster. I always end up with far too much as it is. ;-)

If the ketchup came out faster we'd be doomed.

My favorite are the hand wash products that when you give a push the gel shoots right out over your hand, missing it completely.

In second place are the shower products with holes big enough that you just can not get a small quantity out.

Re:How is this new?

[Anonymous Coward]

Depends on how well you market the new feature. "Green" marketing with two people trying to fill the same graduated cylinder from the old vs. new bottles in a split screen format? I'd be willing to try it. The last couple of mL of ketchup are a real nuisance on their way out, although the bottle normally expires before I get there.

They're missing their target market anyway: fast food joints.

Fast food restaurants are SUPPOSED to clean out their ketchup dispensers on a regular basis but the employees cut corners here. Nuff said.

Re:How is this new?

[Anonymous Coward]

Lies, damned lies, and statistics.
There is true gasoline saving in my new, more fuel efficient car, than my old one that I drove the same number of miles. I did not suddenly drive the new one 20% more because I could. Work is still 17 miles away. I take the same number of vacation days.

Re:How is this new?

[Anonymous Coward]

Wrong
Heinz already produces more efficient bottles - the squeeze ones. Not everyone likes the look, so the glass is still sold.

Re:How is this new?

[Anonymous Coward]

i thought he meant zombie OJ.

they boil it all, keep it around for up to a year in an anaerobic environment. compensate for the fact that this kills any flavor the OJ had by adding the flavor back in with orange peel extract. then package it and tell you it's fresh squeezed.

Re:How is this new?

[fustakrakich]

Yeah they will, and they do. All that needs to be done is to reshape the bottle, and nobody will be the wiser. This (and watering the product down, it's just like the drug market) is a very common method of making your inflation figures look good.

Re:How is this new?

[sociocapitalist]

Yeah they will, and they do. All that needs to be done is to reshape the bottle, and nobody will be the wiser. This (and watering the product down, it's just like the drug market) is a very common method of making your inflation figures look good.

Nah because if they could've they already would've, to the most possible.

Re:How is this new?

[Anonymous Coward]

THIS.

Exactly. Give us all cancer so we don't waste small amounts of tomatoes already deemed as waste tomatoes before turning them into ketchup.

Re:How is this new?

[fustakrakich]

What are you talking about? It's done all the time, to the most possible. That is what the *market will bear* means. Pay attention to the label.

Re:How is this new?

[pnutjam]

Well, to be fair, they transfer it with a giant sponge, so it is freshly squeezed.

Re:How is this new?

[lsatenstein]

There is absolutely no incentive for Heinz to put this into their bottles. This means people will spend less on average on ketchup per year since they can get every last bit out of the bottle. I know it may not seem like much, but multiply it by millions of bottles sold and it adds up to a hefty hit on their bottom line.

I have to contradict you. Yes there is an incentive. If you can get all the condiment out from the container, instead of losing 15%, then Heinz and others can make their portions smaller, without reducing selling price.

Ketchup was never a problem ...

[BarbaraHudson]

We just mixed a little vinegar in to get the last of the bottle and slop it on our french fries.

Re:Ketchup was never a problem ...

[Anonymous Coward]

We just mixed a little vinegar in to get the last of the bottle and slop it on our french fries.

I use a little water and dump it into a slow cooker or skillet meal, BBQ sauce same deal.

For non-food products--toothpaste, body wash, lotion, laundry products--I am just merciless about getting the last of it out of the container.

Re:Ketchup was never a problem ...

[CanadianMacFan]

When there's a little left in the bottle I just store it upside down so that when I go to use it all of the ketchup, mustard, etc is right at the cover. I can't understand how people are wasting 15%.

Re:Ketchup was never a problem ...

[Ted Stoner]

We just mixed a little vinegar in to get the last of the bottle and slop it on our french fries.

I second this. As a kid when we went hunting and were down to the end of the only ketchup bottle, my uncle would add vinegar and thin it out to make it last longer.

Re:Ketchup was never a problem ...

[fisted]

1. Verify bottle is closed
2. Hold bottle at the bottom
3. Make a sudden, whipping movement with your arm, alternatively windmill it around.
4. ???
5. Physics! It works, bitches!
(6. Hold horizontally when opening)

Re:Ketchup was never a problem ...

[Jeremi]

4. ???

(4) is "realize you should have been holding the bottle more tightly during step 3 -- go to find the mop and broom"

Coating causes growth of superfluous genitalia

[Anonymous Coward]

We don't need more chemicals in our packaged food products.

Re:Coating causes growth of superfluous genitalia

[StikyPad]

First, everything is a chemical.

But more importantly, there is no such thing as superfluous genitalia.

Re:Coating causes growth of superfluous genitalia

[geekmux]

We don't need more chemicals in our packaged food products.

Brace yourself, but most people who consume packaged food products have little concern over any chemicals in them.

Re:Coating causes growth of superfluous genitalia

[MisterLawyer]

I hate to break it to you, but your packaged food products are already 100% comprised of chemicals. https://youtu.be/xV_4EA-wrPc?t...

Re:Coating causes growth of superfluous genitalia

[gstoddart]

Brace yourself, but most people who consume packaged food products have little concern over any chemicals in them.

The corollary to this is most people who consume packges chemicals have very little concern if there is any actual food products in them.

I recently saw "imitation American-style cheese food slices". Now, "American" "cheese" isn't legally cheese in most of the world. So what the fsck is imitation artificial cheese?

I'm not even sure it had any dairy in it.

Re:Coating causes growth of superfluous genitalia

[Anonymous Coward]

As are your non-packaged food products. As are you.

Re:Coating causes growth of superfluous genitalia

[Anonymous Coward]

They aren't just fluous... they're SUPER-fluous!

Re:Coating causes growth of superfluous genitalia

[camperdave]

Slices of actual cheddar?

Re:Coating causes growth of superfluous genitalia

[hackwrench]

You say that now, but wait until you have a penis growing out of your forehead.

Re:Coating causes growth of superfluous genitalia

[StikyPad]

You say that now, but wait until you have a penis growing out of your forehead.

I literally cannot wait for that.

Re:Coating causes growth of superfluous genitalia

[Anonymous Coward]

All genitalia but mine and my wife's is superfluous to me.

Re:Coating causes growth of superfluous genitalia

[Anonymous Coward]

I'm pretty sure even in the US american cheese is labeled as cheese food, i.e. a food product with cheese in it, and not cheese. Just saying since your statement "in most of the world" seemed to imply the US considered it cheese, when I'm pretty sure that even we don't.

Re:Coating causes growth of superfluous genitalia

[Anonymous Coward]

Don't be a dickhead

Re:Coating causes growth of superfluous genitalia

[geekmux]

I'm pretty sure even in the US american cheese is labeled as cheese food, i.e. a food product with cheese in it, and not cheese. Just saying since your statement "in most of the world" seemed to imply the US considered it cheese, when I'm pretty sure that even we don't.

Well, we kind of do, in the same way that we kind of call it cheese...

Re:Coating causes growth of superfluous genitalia

[sexconker]

I recently saw "imitation American-style cheese food slices". Now, "American" "cheese" isn't legally cheese in most of the world. So what the fsck is imitation artificial cheese?

I'm not even sure it had any dairy in it.

"American" cheese is a very mild cheddar with a low melting point. It is actual cheese.

Re:Coating causes growth of superfluous genitalia

[Tran]

Actually you can find both, and there is a qualitative difference, American Cheese and American Cheese Food Product.
Deli counters will often have American Cheese, whereas most packed stuff is Cheese Product.

Re:Coating causes growth of superfluous genitalia

[gstoddart]

I've had American cheddar. It's tasty stuff. That's not what I'm talking about.

But that "process cheese food" made from long-chain polymers which isn't legally cheese and comes in individual plastic is what I'm talking about. It's NOT actual cheese.

And the package on this stuff indicated it was an "immitation" version of the stuff which isn't legally cheese.

Basically it was a yellow goo made of soy oil and other crap.

Re:Coating causes growth of superfluous genitalia

[Anonymous Coward]

Rule of thumb, don't eat any food labelled " product".

Re:Coating causes growth of superfluous genitalia

[Anonymous Coward]

Small particles never hurt anyone and we have plenty of long term use of these nanoparticles and their long term effects on human health. Oh wait...no we don't. Oh wait, we don't have long term studies on basically any of the chemicals we bathe ourselves in every day.

Re: Coating causes growth of superfluous genitalia

[Anonymous Coward]

You haven't married long enough. A few more years and her will be too. You'll never have access so they won't matter.

Re: Coating causes growth of superfluous genitalia

[Anonymous Coward]

And then add enough years and even your own genitals will be superfluous.

Re:Coating causes growth of superfluous genitalia

[operagost]

So you manufacture your own ketchup out of vegetables and spices you grew in your own garden? And your mustard, mayonnaise, applesauce, jam, etc.

Re:Coating causes growth of superfluous genitalia

[Anonymous Coward]

I hate to break it to you, but that should be "is composed of", "consists of" or "comprises".

Re:Coating causes growth of superfluous genitalia

[Anonymous Coward]

Brace YOURSELF, because almost all foods are packaged in some fashion. The store usually makes you bag fresh fruit/veggies. If you don't, they will bag them at the checkout...and all foods (and everything else) are made up of chemicals. What you should have said is pre-packaged foods, and harmful chemicals. And unless you are better off financially than 70% or more of the population, you cannot afford to eat all fresh/organically grown foods...unless you grow your own, which is very labor intensive without using any weed/bug killers.

I talked a lot with my grandmother, who was born in 1901, and who lived to be 101 years old. She was raised on a farm where they were as self sufficient as was practical in those days. She and her family literally worked from before sunrise to sunset or later 6 days a week to feed and support themselves. They grew vegetables to eat and preserve, raised chickens, cows, and pigs for meat, grew corn and wheat to both feed themselves and their animals, hunted and fished for aditional meat, and sold butter, milk, and cream so that they could buy things like sugar, salt, and kerosene. They heated with wood, and had a "root cellar" to store some foods in. Other foods were "canned", preserved in jars. Meat was smoked or salted to preserve it. They had no electricity, and relied on steam powered threshing machines. While they bought material, clothing was sewn by hand, or with a foot powered sewing machine. They had a radio, but it was powered by large batteries that were expensive, so it was only used at certain times, usually in the evenings after supper and chores. Light after dark was provided by kerosene lamps and lanterns.

Re:Coating causes growth of superfluous genitalia

[amRadioHed]

American cheddar is different from american cheese which is different from the individually sliced, completely non-cheese junk you're talking about.

Re:Coating causes growth of superfluous genitalia

[Carewolf]

Brace yourself, but most people who consume packaged food products have little concern over any chemicals in them.

The corollary to this is most people who consume packges chemicals have very little concern if there is any actual food products in them.

I recently saw "imitation American-style cheese food slices". Now, "American" "cheese" isn't legally cheese in most of the world. So what the fsck is imitation artificial cheese?

I'm not even sure it had any dairy in it.

Reminds of McDonalds in the 90s when they were forced to changed the description of their burgers from containing beef to containing meat in the EU (the meat didn't contain enough beef to qualify as beef, but the pink goo did qualify as "meat") . Always beware of too generic food descriptions.

Oh sure...

[the_skywise]

and like BPA plastic coatings I'm sure it'll be completely harmless to us... for now...

Re:Oh sure...

[Anonymous Coward]

FTA:

The approach also allows them to vary the ingredients of the textured layer and the lubricant to fit the properties of different liquids â" for food applications, the coatings are derived from edible materials. (The company does not divulge the specific ingredients. âoeWe use things that are, maybe, parts of foods, youâ(TM)d say,â

Re:Oh sure...

[rnturn]

Yes but ketchup manufacturers (Big Ketchup?) paid the researchers to figure out the ketchup bottle problem. Not our long-term health. That problem is dumped by Big Ketchup into the FDA's lap who'll then turn around and ask Big Ketchup to study the problem for 90 days and, if nobody dies of cancer during that time, will deem the super slippery ketchup bottles safe. Unless the FDA decides that they can fast track the approval process because the American People need this product as soon as possible.

Re:Oh sure...

[fustakrakich]

the coatings are derived from edible materials

Allegedly so are hotdogs and white bread.

Re:Oh sure...

[Gr8Apes]

the coatings are derived from edible materials

Allegedly so are hotdogs and white bread.

or haggis

Again?

[StikyPad]

I thought they did this years ago.

Re:Again?

[Anonymous Coward]

I have heard similar work since the 90's. So where is the incentive for the manufacturers to implement this? It will increase their cost per unit, while decreasing their sales because consumers will not waste as much product. I don't see it happening in my lifetime.

Re:Again?

[Mysticalfruit]

MIT was showing this off awhile ago and I *believe* they sold it to DuPont... you can buy it in cans to coat things like boots. I think the innovation here is that they've made the coating either tougher so it won't abate over time and/or they've figured out how to make it food safe... I can't imagine making your insides hydrophobic would be that good for you...

Re:Again?

[Lodlaiden]

If the food doesn't stick, you can't get constipated (or fat).

Re:Again?

[rnturn]

Or, maybe, nourished. There can't be anything good about having this coating getting into your digestive tract.

The news isn't that it's been created...

[berchca]

We already knew it existed, as reported on Slashdot back in May of 2012:
http://science.slashdot.org/story/12/05/23/2240213/mit-creates-superhydrophobic-condiment-bottles

The news here is that it's finally being commercialized.

More expense for the seller to sell less?

[Bruce66423]

Seems like it makes NO sense for food manufacturers to implement. Sadly this appears to be a case where regulation may be needed to force the issue.

Re:More expense for the seller to sell less?

[Anonymous Coward]

If I am at the grocery store and there are two competing bottles of ketchup, I will be willing to pay a little bit extra to have the bottle with this feature.

Re:More expense for the seller to sell less?

[93 Escort Wagon]

This doesn't seem like a feature, at least to me.

Am I the only one that's had the experience of turning the bottle of ketchup over and having way too much pour out onto my burger? Or salad dressing, for that matter?

Wow ...

[gstoddart]

So, if you could do this on the outside of condoms you'd put Wet and Astroglide out of business. ;-)

Introducing, everslide ... our slipperiest condoms evar.

Re:Wow ...

[Anonymous Coward]

Sorry Babe. I put that thing on inside out again!

Re:Wow ...

[HornWumpus]

Each one is good for two uses!

Re:Wow ...

[Anonymous Coward]

Problem is you would need a textured condom for the lubricant to adhere to. Wait.. What?!

Re:Wow ...

[Anonymous Coward]

Problem is you would need a textured condom for the lubricant to adhere to. Wait.. What?!

So I'm watching USC in a bowl game, my wife comes in and asks "What's their team nickname?"

"Trojans", I reply.

In complete innocence she says "I'll bet they get a lot of ribbing about that!"

Re:Wow ...

[Anonymous Coward]

Is your wive that person who everyone always talk about when they say: "that's what she said"?

Re:Wow ...

[aliquis]

So, if you could do this on the outside of condoms you'd put Wet and Astroglide out of business. ;-)

I'll write this in a way to try to not get moderated troll or whatever even though there's more fun ways of writing it.

But yeah. I just want to say that lube is used for other things too.

Sure those who have had their foreskin removed could masturbate with a condom turned outside in instead (how well does it actually work masturbating missing it?)
And of course people can use condoms for anal sex too.

So yeah. I guess slippery condoms could replace sexual lubricants but sexual lubricants isn't only used to lubricate condoms and for usage with such sexual activity is what I want to say.

Mutilated sex organs: Because for humans sex is such a sin! Don't enjoy life. Suffer through it! Because God is .. whatever he's. Awesome!

Ok, maybe I took it too far with that last one anyway :(

Re:Wow ...

[Anonymous Coward]

how well does it actually work masturbating missing it?

Works very well, thanks for asking ;). There is no need for lube or anything.
Less smelly, too.

Re:Wow ...

[aliquis]

Works very well, thanks for asking ;). There is no need for lube or anything.
Less smelly, too.

Experience of the last part or just bullshit?

I don't go around smell penis ..

It's a poor argument (I have water in-door, can you imagine?)

I know there exist stuff like "Jack Jelly" and that masturbating with lube seem to be a thing in US movies.

And of course moving skin and foreskin help with keeping things move-able (and protect some parts from as much stimuli in everyday situations and can detect touch.)

Who would go around cut of their sex organs if it wasn't for religion?

Re:Wow ...

[Anonymous Coward]

http://science.slashdot.org/story/15/03/14/1158207/worlds-1st-penis-transplant-done-in-south-africa

With the above being said, it seems even sillier to do it to infants in the U.S. given they can't even consent to the procedure.

Lubricant

[Anonymous Coward]

I would not like to eat a hot dog with lubricant on it, however small the quantity

Re:Lubricant

[cmdr_tofu]

yeah, as we know, if you are a hotdog eater, you are picky about the quality of your food.

I can see the headlines 5 years from now

[Anonymous Coward]

Scientific Study Suggests Permanently Slick Surface So Ketchup Won't Stay In Bottle Might Cause Cancer

But

[synapse7]

Does it cause cancer in California?

Re:But

[aaron4801]

According to one of the links, the company apparently has a number of chemicals to choose from, and will apply the one most compatible with the customers' product.
For reference, here's the CA Prop 65 list (PDF)

Re:But

[Anonymous Coward]

Does it cause cancer in California?

Yes, but not in Texas.

Yummy, tasty liquid lubricant

[QuietLagoon]

I wonder how carcinogenic this stuff is...

Re:Yummy, tasty liquid lubricant

[pr0fessor]

I don't know about carcinogenic but I would imagine it might have laxative like properties.

Re:Yummy, tasty liquid lubricant

[QuietLagoon]

So true.

.
Slip Slidin' Away

Re:Yummy, tasty liquid lubricant

[Anonymous Coward]

More than water, less than uranium.

Recycling

[hammeraxe]

Multi layered packaging (such as ketchup bottles or juice cartons) is already notoriously difficult to recycle. Can't imagine this helps... At least you can rinse out the leftover ketchup.

Re:Recycling

[StikyPad]

For paper and plastics, that's true. Glass would be the best bet, since the melting or flash point of the coating(s) is almost certainly lower than that of glass, so it can easily be separated.

Re:Recycling

[Krishnoid]

If nothing sticks to it, why couldn't you just refill it?

Ketchup bottles?

[mariox19]

How about coating the insides of our arteries with something like that!

Re:Ketchup bottles?

[gstoddart]

Great, then you'd have an artificial version of hemophilia, wouldn't you? The slightest nick and you'd bleed out?

Reminds me of some diet product from years ago that got pulled due to excessive rectal seepage.

Skip 5 years...

[Anonymous Coward]

News Flash...

Container coating causes cancer! Crikey!

Oh yeah, this'll get picked up

[MattGWU]

'Reducing waste', from the point of view is actually 'reducing sales'. Product that is 'wasted' is merely product bought and never used. Reducing this 'waste' will reduce their sales volume.

I'm sure they're all eager to jump on something that will reduce sales, no matter how much consumers would like it.

Re:Oh yeah, this'll get picked up

[Sowelu]

Consumers will do anything to feel more socially or economically responsible! They'll buy twice as many of these new bottles just for the privilege of wasting less ketchup and plastic.

Re:Oh yeah, this'll get picked up

[ledow]

How much do they save by you rebuying a teaspoon of ketchup once a month? Ketchup bottles are already refillable.

How much brand name exposure would they get to be the only company with the "unstickable" bottles? Ketchup bottles that are squirty without whacking required (the new plastic-sphincter caps), sit on their lids not their base, etc. have actually increased sales of (technically smaller) bottles in many industries. Hell, in the UK you can buy squirty mint sauce and it costs more than normal mint sauce despite being smaller. People STILL buy it.

Re:Oh yeah, this'll get picked up

[moeinvt]

If the consumers like it, couldn't they raise prices? It might also allow the early adopter to grab market share until the competitors ketch up.
If your condiment bottle does something cool that the competitor's doesn't, I'll buy it and pay a premium.

Better on the outside

[Atheraal]

I don't care about wasting half a cent's worth of ketchup, but what I do care about is not getting sick. If this stuff is on the outside of condiment bottles and salt shakers at restaurants, it massively reduces the number of germs that'll live on said implements. And how often do you wash your hands between putting ketchup on your plate and dipping a fry into it?

Leave it in the bottle

[Anonymous Coward]

and throw the bottle away.

Yechhh! ketchup

Three is simple alterantives...

[Anonymous Coward]

which are even effectively used today. Just not so often for food.

a) A container whichs shape can be changed, effectively to hold zero volume. Think toothpaste. Sometimes used for tomatoes. If bought in "convenience" package, silicon (the stuff to squeeze between tiles), comes in big bags.
b) A container consisting of two parts, that can be reconfigured to reduce the volume. Think syringe. Again, silicon, but only if bought in small quantities. This also is used for food, particular some ice cream.

save water!

[ralphsiegler]

sci fi novel "The Mote in God's Eye" had frictionless toilet that didn't need water. I already thought of way of keeping sewer odor out of house without water trap.

Re:save water!

[Anonymous Coward]

>I already thought of way of keeping sewer odor out of house without water trap.

Neat. Is it like the duckbill valve that at least one yacht toilet brand uses?

Re:save water!

[Anonymous Coward]

I already thought of way of keeping sewer odor out of house without water trap.

Oh. Oh. Lemme guess. It's a makeshift wooden shack with a moon cutout in its door, and it sits about 50' behind your back door?

On the contrary...

[elgatozorbas]

I know it may not seem like much, but multiply it by millions of bottles sold and it adds up to a hefty hit on their bottom line.

You are completely correct. In the past Heinz has even been caught cheating by underfilling their ketchup bottles.

Easy fix

[Anonymous Coward]

For some stuff just put in a few drops of water and out comes the rest. For stuff like ketchup just keep it upside down for awhile and it will all flow down.

Redundant??

[Anonymous Coward]

What if they use it in a bottle of lube?

Sounds Messy

[Stormy Dragon]

Ketchup Won't Stay In Bottle

So like you open the lid and a fountain of ketchup immediately geysers out of the bottle?

Re:Sounds Messy

[idontgno]

Even creepier. The ketchup slithers out of the bottle top like a red high-temperature Helium II... and all over everything. And it keeps going... seeking something only Cthulhu knows.

Anal leakage

[Anonymous Coward]

Remember Olestra? Imagine this in your food.

Re:Anal leakage

[93 Escort Wagon]

Obligatory.

How to get 99% of ketchup out of the bottle

[renergy]

Suppose you have almost empty bottle of ketchup. The following procedure works

1) close the bottle, turn it upside down with one hand
2) tap the bottle (2 or 3 times) to the other hand, while holding it upside down, to move the ketchup from the bottom to the (inside) walls of the bottle
3) Stand the bottle on its cap
4) let it stand for ~20 minutes
5) most of the ketchup will slowly slide to the bottom, leaving the sides almost clean - try it to see it
6) carefully open the cap while still upside down, empty the ketchup on a plate
7) enjoy the ketchup

This procedure leaves only ~1% - at most - in the bottle. Could not believe how well the ketchup slide down. All it needs is a bit of time - really 20 minutes or so, it is not instantaneous.

Re:How to get 99% of ketchup out of the bottle

[Anonymous Coward]

Just put the cap on, then shake it upside down (like a priest sprinkling holy water on a possessed person). It all flows to the cap. Open. Enjoy.

Re:How to get 99% of ketchup out of the bottle

[volmtech]

#6 In warmer climes the air has expanded in the bottle expelling the last bit with explosive force. There is no careful, just a blast of ketchup.

Re:How to get 99% of ketchup out of the bottle

[Anonymous Coward]

easier to just flip the thing upside down in the refrigerator for future cooking use (sloppy joes, meatloaf, etc) and grab a new bottle.

Re:How to get 99% of ketchup out of the bottle

[dbIII]

Being a cheap bastard I get that last 10% out with some hot water and add it to mince+tomato dishes that lack that deep artificial red colour that most of us are convinced that cooked tomato is supposed to be.

The best news of all

[Anonymous Coward]

Is it will turn out to be only moderately carcinogenic :D

Not just ketchup

[Anonymous Coward]

So bearing races, water hoses (inside), car paint, aircraft skins... superhydrophobics and laminar-smooth surfaces could be useful in a very large number of applications. Not defying physics, just doing a whole lotta manipulation.

Strange Taste

[digitalPhant0m]

Why does my Hamburger taste like KY Jelly?

Re:Strange Taste

[Anonymous Coward]

how do you know what ky jelly tastes like?

Re:Strange Taste

[Anonymous Coward]

He put it on his peanut butter sandwich by mistake?

Re:But(t)

[Anonymous Coward]

And when it migrates from the inside of the bottle to the inside of your intestines -- it'll be sold also as a diet aid.

And when it migrates from the toilet bowl to the sewer pipe -- RotoRooter will go out of business.

But once it goes down the outlet to the ocean and the fish become too slippery to catch -- we'll all starve.

Nothing new here. But.

[Anonymous Coward]

This has been done before. Announced over a year ago. The problem? How many people will die from the chemicals used?

Laundry detergent waste?

[Dereck1701]

"16 percent of laundry detergent"

If you're wasting that much laundry detergent you're doing something very wrong. I use liquid and when the bottle runs dry I take a few cupfuls of water out of the washer and put it in the bottle, give it a few shakes and then dump it straight into the wash. I doubt more than 0.1% manages to stick to crevices in the pour spout. Even if you didn't do that I have a hard time believing that more than 3% sticks to the sides of the bottle. With your average bottle 16% is more than 5 loads worth of detergent still in the bottle.

Re:Laundry detergent waste?

[houghi]

I use tablets and no softener. I tried softener, but noticed that after wearing clothes for more than 30 seconds, I noticed no difference.

That is a saving of 100% on softener. More than any bottle can do.

hmm

[Anonymous Coward]

I bet if you coated the inside of a pipe with this stuff you could make other viscous fluids flow more easily. Ketchup is not the trillion dollar industry this is being made for.

How is it for the environment?

[Stan92057]

How is it for the environment? Is it safe to make? to recycle? Safe To eat the products it contacts?

Re:How is it for the environment?

[Anonymous Coward]

Fewer bottles purchased, duh.

Cancer never tasted so good.

[GregGorby]

Mmmmmm... Cancer.

This stuff is actually quite scary.

[Anonymous Coward]

I already have a superhydrophobic toilet plunger and superhydrophobic coatings on my toilet bowl, and really the shit doesn't stick. I started buying some coatings to play around, as i would love to use it in the sink, in the grooves of my tires, and even spray the outside of the house so moisture doesn't stick and attract dirt. But the problem is most of these coatings use micronised silica, and I just can't imagine that this is a good thing to go airborne once the adhesive inevitably fails and particles flake off. Imagine hydrophobic surfaces in your bronchia, you'd probably end up drowning as the moisture migrates to the tips of these microstructures, i'm sure it'll show up in one of those Crime dramas. I have some bottles of this stuff intended to be mixed with paint, but right now, i'm not sure how to dispose of this safely. I doubt anybody actually does, you'd probably have to heat the stuff and fuse it into non hydrophobic structures. Considering i can't even buy certain uncommon types of paraffin by mail order from chemical supply stores, it's funny you can buy rustoleum spray cans with this stuff with an integrated aerosol delivery system in hardware stores.

Forget the ketchup bottle ...

[Muad'Dave]

... I want a stain-proof superhydrophobic shirt!