is project is part of a research methods ALTOIDS class within the Information Design and Visualization graduate program at Northeastern University. an object autopsy of Designer / Researcher: Ryan Morrill the “curiously strong mint” Instructor: Dietmar Oenhuber PACKAGING Altoids were rst developed in 1780 London, a date still printed on each package. ey were introduced to the US in 1918, and have marketed their “old timey” British roots since then — from the fake metal “tin” containers to the very British language (“curiously strong”). Interestingly, the product is now owned by Wrigley and is made is the USA. THE MINT ITSELF 99%+ AN ALTOID IS MOSTLY A SUGAR CUBE <1% ...BUT THERE ARE THREE OTHER INGREDIENTS SUGAR GELATIN GUM ARABIC PEPPERMINT OIL Produced from sugarcane, sugar is familiar Gelatin is an animal byproduct, typically Gum arabic is essentially tree sap. It’s Peppermint is a hybrid between water-mint commodity. e US, where Altoids are produced through a boiling process or harvested from the acacia trees, which and spearmint. Originally from Europe and made, obtains most of it’s sugar from “hot water extraction.” e primary grow in the Sub-Sahara region of Africa. the Middle East, peppermint can now be Central and South America — in particular, materials used in gelatin production are Believed to be the legendary food found globally. However, most of the Mexico (because of a trade agreement) and cattle bones, cattle hides and pork skins. substance “mana” from the Koran, gum peppermint oil is coming from India, Brazil. In fact, Brazil accounts for almost Other forms can be derived from poultry arabic has been used throughout human China and the US. Since the US is not half of the world’s sugar export (see graph and sh. Gelatin in Altoids is likely history — from mummication to paint importing a lot, it’s likely this ingredient in to below to the le). coming from the USA or Brazil. mediums. an Altoid originates from the US. SUGAR EXPORTS 2014 /2015 1 North America Sub-Saharan Africa Central America BRAZIL 24 M tonnes Oceania A NOTE ON BRAZIL Brazil plays an interesting role in Altoids: Southeast Asia QUESTIONABLE INGREDIENTS there is a high likelihood that the sugar and Rest of South America gelatin used in Altoids were produced in Brazil. Brazil is the top exporter of both Gelatin and gum arabic are both somewhat mysterious ingredients whose sugar and gelatin globally. origins involve processes and/or political issues that could potentially TOP GELATIN EXPORTERS 2014 2 inuence a person’s consumption of products containing these ingredients. EXPORTS IMPORTS GELATIN GUM ARABIC Brazil $268M Germany A lot of dierent diets exist around the Gum arabic is a product of questionable France consumption of animals — from vegan diets circumstances. It’s primarily sourced USA $303M #1 importer to kosher diets — and someone on one of from Sudan (see graph below), a Belgium these diets would want to know whether country of conict, human rights issues their candy mints contain animals. and an unstable economy. Because of this, the US has trade embargoes in place to prevent the importation of Sudanese products — with the exception of gum arabic, a crucial ingredient in soda. GUM ARABIC EXPORTS / IMPORTS GLOBALLY 3 HOW THESE INGREDIENTS ARE USED IN AN ALTOID EXPORTS IMPORTS 35,000 tonnes SUDAN FRANCE A NOTE ON FRANCE NIGERIA gum arabic gelatin UK With it’s high imports and exports, it’s USA pretty clear France is playing the middle Flavor xative: protects avor Binder: keeps the mint together, man between Sudan and the rest of the GERMANY particles from evaporation, and allows the mint to be dissolved world. When we look the top exporters moisture and oxidation. easily and quickly in the mouth. ITALY from Sudan, France accounts for half of MALI Sudan’s gum arabic supply. And just last OTHER THINGS THAT CONTAIN BELGIUM year, France announced it would supply GELATIN AND GUM ARABIC INDIA around US$3M to help grow and promote the gum arabic sector in Sudan. NETHERLANDS SPAIN COULD CONTAIN VERY LIKELY CONTAINS ARGENTINA SUDAN’S GUM ARABIC INGREDIENT INGREDIENTS SWITZERLAND EXPORT DESTINATIONS 3 JAPAN FOODS ice cream/ POLAND frozen deserts MEXICO yogurt gelled deserts IRELAND USA icing/ soda confections CHINA cream SODA BRAZIL GERMANY cheese FRANCE marshmallows As an emulsier, gum arabic plays a SWEDEN soups 16,400 tonnes very important role in the produc- RUSSIA glazed deli candy/ tion of soda. Without it, the sugar UK ham meats mints inside soda would crystallize and beer sink to the bottom of the bottle. both ingredients INDIA PHARMACEUTICAL cough drops PILL CAPSULES pill plasma capsules It’s dicult to nd medication, substitute SHOULD WE KNOW WHERE drug / pill gum arabic vitamins or supplements that do tablets ‘herbal’ supplements not come in some kind of pill and or capsule form. And most of OUR PRODUCTS COME FROM? these are made with gelatin, which creates a solid form / shell glazed paper that melts at body temperature. Beyond the ingredients list, we have little As an example, I’ve created a prototype ceramics ART / PRINT/ PHOTO information about the origin of the label for Altoids. Rather than trying to products we consume. ere have been push a political point, the attempt here printed eorts at transparency (organic, fair trade, would be to inform consumers about the materials etc.), but these identify when products products they’re purchasing, allowing Newspapers NEWSPAPERS paint have met specic qualications and it’s them to make a more informed decision. e ink in newspapers is mixed dicult to put them in context to other e challenge is Altoids info label Photographs glue/ with gum arabic to create a better products. Some of these labels, like “all adhesives consistency and promote natural” really mean very little. adhesion to the paper Magazines Instead, what if we had information on the degree to which something is involved HUMAN ISSUES in certain potentially negative things: ENVIRON ISSUES OTHER / MISC. pollution, human rights violations, ANIMAL USE matches Cosmetics Playing Paintballs articial ingredients and animal use. CHEM / ARTIFICIAL cards ALTOIDS DATA SOURCES 1 McConnell, Michael. “USDA Economic Research Service - Sugar and Sweeteners Yearbook Tables.” Accessed February 28, 2016. http://www.ers.usda.gov/data-products/sugar-and-sweeteners-yearbook- tables.aspx. 2 “World Exports of Gelatin in 2014.” Accessed February 28, 2016. http://data.trendeconomy.com/commodities/Export/3503?period=2014. 3 “UN Comtrade: International Trade Statistics.” Accessed February 28, 2016. http://comtrade.un.org/data/. INFORMATION SOURCES Bosman, Julie. “With Some Risk to Its Image, Altoids Is Moving to the U.S. - e New York Times.” News. New York Times, October 5, 2005. http://www.nytimes.com/2005/10/05/business/media/with-some-risk-t o-its-image-altoids-is-moving-to-the-us.html?_r=1. Mohammed, Bassem Abo Alabass. “Sudan Sees Gum-Arabic Exports Up on U.S. Rule, China Demand.” Bloomberg.com. Accessed February 28, 2016. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-06-14/sudan-sees-gum- arabic-exports-rising-on-u-s-rule-china-demand. Panda, Himadri. 2002. e Complete Technology Book On Natural Products (Forest Based). National Institute Of Industrial Research. Raziq, Zuleikha Abdul. “France Earmarks US$3m for Gum Arabic Development.” News. Sudan Vision Daily - Details. March 3, 2015. http://www.news.sudanvisiondaily.com/details.html?rsnpid=247446. Rico, Lulú. 2016. “Acacia Senegal (Gum Arabic) | Plants & Fungi At Kew.” Kew Royal Botanic Gardens. Accessed April 20. http://www.kew.org/science-conservation/plants-fungi/acacia-senegal-g um-arabic. ompkins, Gwen. 2007. “Gum Arabic: Sudan’s Miracle Commodity.” NPR.org. June 20. http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=11224050. Touré, Salif. “Gum Arabic uarterly Edition.” Accessed February 28, 2016. http://www.ngara.org/. “Altoids Mints.” 2016. Wrigely. Accessed March 15. http://www.wrigley.com/global/brands/altoids.aspx. “Gelatin Handbook.” Gelatin Manufacturers Institute of America. Accessed February 28, 2016. http://www.gelatin-gmia.com/ “Ocial Site for PepsiCo Beverage Information | Ingredient Glossary.” 2016. Accessed April 20, 2016. http://www.pepsicobeveragefacts.com/home/ingredientglossary#G. “Tips for Growing Peppermint.” 2016. Accessed April 20, 2016. http://www.globalhealingcenter.com/organic-herbs/growing-peppermint. Food Scientist at a Large CPG food manufacturer (anonymous). Personal Interview. March 25, 2016. HOW DOES IT AFFECT OUR HUMAN ISSUES HUMAN ISSUES EXPERIENCE? ENVIRON ISSUES ENVIRON ISSUES ANIMAL USE ANIMAL USE Without gum arabic and gelatin, what have we lost in the mint? CHEM / ARTIFICIAL CHEM / ARTIFICIAL e most noticeable things are related to mouth-feel and avor. Gelatin creates a mint that melts ALTOIDS NEWMAN’S OWN ORGANICS in the mouth while gum arabic protects avor particles until Sugar, gelatin, gum arabic, natural avors Organic sugar, organic corn syrup solids, they’re dissolved and the avor is (including oil of peppermint), gelatin natural wintergreen avor. released, creating that “burst of avor” known to Altoids..