First step: find the patent(s) for Plumpy’nut
Pretty much says it all. How many patents cover Plumpy’nut? Where and when were they issued? What do they say?
What happens when you put a patent on peanut butter?
This blog is an experiment in collaborative reporting. The objective is to learn as much as possible about patents, Plumpy’nut and the needs of millions of malnourished children around the world.
Some background: Plumpy’nut is a combination of peanut butter and powdered milk with a few vitamins and minerals thrown in for good measure. Ever since the mixture was introduced to humanitarian organizations a few years ago, it has saved the lives of many malnourished children around the world and garnered Nutriset, the company that makes it, a great deal of positive press. Often overlooked, however, is the fact that Nutriset has patented Plumpy’nut.
The questions we’re trying to explore: What effect–for good or for ill or somewhere in between–has the patent(s) on Plumpy’nut had on meeting the needs of malnourished children? Has patenting Plumpy’nut attracted greater investment in an otherwise overlooked field? Has it hindered the ability of humanitarian groups to make their own peanut-packed mixes? We invite you to help explore these and other questions.
