🚀 go-pugleaf

> I'm no chemist, but shouldn't polyethylene glycol be somewhat similar in
> properties as ethylene glycol (ie. isn't it toxic)?  Doesn't polyethylene
> just mean many-ethylene? [...]  I'm sure I'm just raving about nothing, but
> I would like someone to tell me why this stuff might be in Dr. Pepper.

	Oh, God.  Not only am I actually *reading* net.coke, but I'm
*posting* something to it?  Have I no morals at all?

	Anyway, yes, "polyethylene" does indeed mean "many-ethylene".
However, there is no reason to believe that the chemical (or physiological)
properties of a polymer are at all related to those of the monomer.  In most
cases, they aren't.  Random data from the Merk Index (9th ed) entry for
Polyethelene Glycol (commonly called PEG or Carbowax):

	Liquid or solid (depending on n) polymers of the general formula
H-(O-CH2-CH2)n-OH where n is >= 4.  Will not support mold growth.  PEG
compounds are of low toxicity.  LD-50 orally in rats on the order of 50g/Kg,
depending on the particluar polymer (8 <= n <= 200).  [LD-50 means the the
dosage at which it is lethal to 50% of the animals to which it is fed; to
get the kinds of doses they are talking about here, you would have to eat 5
Kg of the pure substance if you weigh 100 Kg].  Depending on the molecular
weight (from about 400 to 6000), it can be a viscous liquid, a white
free-flowing powder, or creamy-white flakes.

	Used as a lubricant for rubber molds and in metal-forming operations,
in food and food packaging, in hair preperations and cosmetics in general.
Since you are (rightfully) concerned about what goes in your mouth, you
should be interested to know what goes in the other end as well; PEG is also
used as a suppository base.

	By comparison, the Merk Index says the monomer, Ethylene Glycol, is a
liquid, poisonous (LD-50 in humans 1.4 ml/kg), and used to make anti-freeze
hydraulic brake fluids, electrolytic capacitors, inks, and as a stabilizer
for soybean foam used to put out gasoline and oil fires.

	In summary, I don't know why they put PEG in Dr. Pepper, but I would
suspect that the sugar in it is probably what you should be worrying about.
For what it's worth, I happen to think that Dr. Pepper tastes better than any
of the Colas (New, Old, Pepsi, Coke, whatever).  I've always thought that the
flavoring in it was prunes; anybody know for sure?  It may sound disgusting,
but next time you drink one, think real hard about what it tastes like and
see if you think it's possible.
-- 
Roy Smith <allegra!phri!roy>
System Administrator, Public Health Research Institute
455 First Avenue, New York, NY 10016