Petroleum-Based Zero-Calorie Foods

Palmer Luckey proposed creating zero-calorie synthetic foods using petroleum-based materials (long-chain hydrocarbons) that would allow Americans to eat whatever they want without gaining weight. The idea aimed to solve obesity by creating food that passes through the body without being absorbed.

Key Points:

• Core Technology:

  • Use oil/petroleum-based materials instead of traditional food ingredients
  • Engineer hydrocarbons to match desired food properties (texture, taste, cooking behavior)
  • Create foods with zero caloric value that pass through the body

• Product Examples Developed:

  • Paraffin-based cheese that could make grilled sandwiches
  • Foods fried in high flash point mineral oil
  • Special device that injected soda syrup through carbonated water stream onto tongue

• Technical Advantages:

  • Oil can be engineered into any form (waxes, gels, solids, pastes, rubbers)
  • Can match material properties of real food
  • Uses inert, non-toxic hydrocarbons

• Key Challenges That Stopped Development:

  • Not sustainable using new oil as feedstock
  • Would require recycling hydrocarbons from sewage
  • Marketing challenge of selling "reprocessed sewage food"
  • Public perception and media coverage concerns

The idea was ultimately abandoned in favor of pursuing defense technology, as Palmer felt the marketing challenges of selling recycled oil-based food would be too difficult to overcome.