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The Extraordinary Science of Addictive Junk Food

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  1. #1

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    The Extraordinary Science of Addictive Junk Food

    Great article from last week's New York Times:

    Frito-Lay had a formidable research complex near Dallas, where nearly 500 chemists, psychologists and technicians conducted research that cost up to $30 million a year, and the science corps focused intense amounts of resources on questions of crunch, mouth feel and aroma for each of these items. Their tools included a $40,000 device that simulated a chewing mouth to test and perfect the chips, discovering things like the perfect break point: people like a chip that snaps with about four pounds of pressure per square inch.
    http://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/24/ma...anted=all&_r=0
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  2. #2

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    That was then:

    This is now:

    Last edited by gilleshk; 26-02-2013 at 03:49 PM.
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  3. #3

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    Quote Originally Posted by gilleshk:
    That was then:

    This is now:
    Funnily enough I was telling a story to some of my students yesterday:

    When I came to Hong Kong I was astonished at how many Mc Donalds restaurants there are and joked that you could never be out of the line of sight of one in town. The other thing I noticed was very few fat people! Hmmm...?

    Then I spotted them! Upper primary and secondary school students at lunch time......

    Mc Donalds - fast, easy and cheap!!!

  4. #4

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    No need to talk about Marlboro in the past tense, the best is still ahead for them.

    Hi Britney!


  5. #5

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    Quote Originally Posted by Morrison:
    No need to talk about Marlboro in the past tense, the best is still ahead for them.

    Hi Britney!

    The best is still ahead for tobacco companies in China and other developing nations..not the US. In the US, there are more 'ex' tobacco users than there are current ones. Education and awareness campaigns and legislative efforts are working. Tobacco use is on the decline.

    However, Asia/China is the new gold mine so to speak. There are now more smokers in China...than there are people in the US. Of course China’s tobacco industry is state owned, the central government profits greatly from the revenue. Close to eight percent of China’s gross profits came from taxes and sales of tobacco products.
    Last edited by closedcasket; 27-02-2013 at 05:48 AM.

  6. #6

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    I know. But China is off limits for foreign tobacco, very marginal progress since 1978.
    Similar to USSR, including future prospects.


  7. #7

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    Quote Originally Posted by Morrison:
    I know. But China is off limits for foreign tobacco, very marginal progress since 1978.
    Similar to USSR, including future prospects.

    You mean those Marlboros and Lucky Strikes you see in China aren't real? People wouldn't produce low grade cigarettes, and than put them in a fake western package and try to pass them off as real?

    China National Tobacco Corp (CCP state owned) accouns for 30% of the worlds tobacco consumption. Total Monopoly.

    I think China allowed some foreign tobacco companies to come in during the 90s in order to gain access to their equipment and technology. Once they were able to copy the equipment and production techniques they kicked the foreign companies out.

  8. #8

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    Foreign cigs make up around one percent of total market, and considering price levels the biz is trivial


  9. #9

    Do a search for 'the be speech you will ever hear' video online. With the beef scandle going on in Europe and now South Africa can you begin to imagine what may be happening here in Asia?!