3 ms·

What are the overhead/barriers to entry for this? If they are making a food/nutrition product, I imagine they'd have to hire people for food safety/regulatory

by caycep 13y ago

What are the overhead/barriers to entry for this? If they are making a food/nutrition product, I imagine they'd have to hire people for food safety/regulatory compliance. Plus additional FDA compliance if they want to market this as a competitor to current inpatient GI tube feeding solutions/nutrition shakes (i.e. make it billable to insurance companies).

ChuckMcM 13y ago
Remarkably few, which I found interesting. Food safety compliance has primarily been achieved by only using ingredients that are already identified as 'food safe'. And a lot of what Rhinehart has done is exactly what someone like 'Sara Lee' might do except they weren't trying to make it seem like a pie, rather its just goop. If you're a person who likes eating, this will be a horrible thing, but if you're a utilitarian it can be quite reasonable. Presuming it is successful there is also a huge opportunity in prisons. By eliminating food preparation and eating utensils you mitigate both costs and threats.
- not_that_noob 13y ago
  Though one would assume one would provoke a riot if Soylent was being served in preference to 'real' food.
  - mikeash 13y ago
    The basic concept is already used in prisons, although not in the general population: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nutraloaf http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nutraloaf
    - ChuckMcM 13y ago
      Awesome link there, I had not heard of 'nutraloaf' (which is a good thing I guess). That suggests that if you wanted to use it in prisons it would have to be the 'standard' meal for everyone. Interesting.
- waterlesscloud 13y ago
  How well does it keep?
  - goostavos 13y ago
    Early in its 'development', if I'm remembering correctly, not long. But that's only once it's mixed. In it's dry form, I believe it'll last quite some time.
    - DanBC 13y ago
      Here's a factsheet PDF from the World Food Programme for roughly similar products. (http://documents.wfp.org/stellent/groups/public/documents/communications/wfp255508.pdf http://documents.wfp.org/stellent/groups/public/documents/co...) This suggests that shelf life is around 6 months to 24 months. Obviously this would be at suitable storage conditions - not too hot, etc. And I don't know what happens when the packet is opened. Some nutrients will degrade in contact with oxygen. So if they get it worked out and good packets it could be long time.
pbreit 13y ago
Which is why the marketing/buzz, which many are complaining about, is key.

by caycep 13y ago

ChuckMcM 13y ago

Remarkably few, which I found interesting. Food safety compliance has primarily been achieved by only using ingredients that are already identified as 'food safe'. And a lot of what Rhinehart has done is exactly what someone like 'Sara Lee' might do except they weren't trying to make it seem like a pie, rather its just goop. If you're a person who likes eating, this will be a horrible thing, but if you're a utilitarian it can be quite reasonable. Presuming it is successful there is also a huge opportunity in prisons. By eliminating food preparation and eating utensils you mitigate both costs and threats.

not_that_noob 13y ago
Though one would assume one would provoke a riot if Soylent was being served in preference to 'real' food.
- mikeash 13y ago
  The basic concept is already used in prisons, although not in the general population: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nutraloaf http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nutraloaf
  - ChuckMcM 13y ago
    Awesome link there, I had not heard of 'nutraloaf' (which is a good thing I guess). That suggests that if you wanted to use it in prisons it would have to be the 'standard' meal for everyone. Interesting.
waterlesscloud 13y ago
How well does it keep?
- goostavos 13y ago
  Early in its 'development', if I'm remembering correctly, not long. But that's only once it's mixed. In it's dry form, I believe it'll last quite some time.
  - DanBC 13y ago
    Here's a factsheet PDF from the World Food Programme for roughly similar products. (http://documents.wfp.org/stellent/groups/public/documents/communications/wfp255508.pdf http://documents.wfp.org/stellent/groups/public/documents/co...) This suggests that shelf life is around 6 months to 24 months. Obviously this would be at suitable storage conditions - not too hot, etc. And I don't know what happens when the packet is opened. Some nutrients will degrade in contact with oxygen. So if they get it worked out and good packets it could be long time.

pbreit 13y ago

Which is why the marketing/buzz, which many are complaining about, is key.