The inventors or a pioneering “edible lubricant”, developed at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, in the US, say it could help reduce food waste through its application in the packaging of condiments.

‘LiquiGlide’ was developed by Dave Smith and the Varanasi Research Group  at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. The lubricant improves the flow rate of condiments such as ketchup, mayonnaise and mustard.

The inventors have released promotional videos of LiquiGlide being used in bottles made of both plastic and glass. The coating is made entirely from food materials – without the use of nanotechnology.

The inventors are yet to reveal the ingredients of the lubricant. However, they have said, “Even if you scraped off the coating with a knife and ate it, it would be completely harmless and flavourless.”

According to the Varanasi Research Group, “About one million pounds of food gets thrown out each year worldwide. Squeeze bottles need a big cap. By eliminating the need for such a big cap, we would save 25,000 tons of petroleum-based plastics each year.

“Some condiments are so sticky that the sides are completely covered, even though the bottle is nearly empty. A LiquiGlide coating will let you see exactly how much food is left in the bottle.”

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