In article:
http://www.straightdope.com/mailbag/mfoilbag.html
Doug writes:
Picking nits… The foil bags are actually a type of Mylar laminate where the inner layer is a thin aluminum film. Mylar and Mylar laminates were developed by DuPont, NOT Kelloggs, and are indeed used because they are gas impermeable.
Sorry, just stiving for accuracy…
Oops! Make that “Striving” for accuracy.
Darn!!!
I thought it was to keep interstellular Gremlins out.
I can’t believe anyone actually asked this question; I reasoned it out for myself when my age was still a single digit!
John W. Kennedy
“Compact is becoming contract; man only earns and pays.”
– Charles Williams
JoeyBlades, I don’t think it was DuPont that thought to make cereal bags out of the stuff. I think that was Kellogg’s idea.
By the way, this is a mailbag article, not Cecil column. Moderator!
Irishman,
Right, but Doug wrote "they developed the foil-lined bags " implying that Kelloggs had done the developing…
Well, perhaps they developed the bags as opposed to the material? (Just doing my part to help Doug weasel out on a technicality ;))
Back in the olden days…They were foil with a paper backing. Heavier than the kind used for gum and cigarettes. I believe they had some sort of wax on them too.
This is not actually a column by Cecil, but by the loyal Straight Dope Science Advisory Staff, namely, Cecil’s Mailbag. I have therefore closed it here and transferred it to the appropriate forum (COMMENTS ON MAILBAG ARTICLES).
This is actually in reference to an article in the Mailbag section, so I am closing the topic here and moving it to the appropriate forum (COMMENTS ON MAILBAG ARTICLES).