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The Times of India
The Times of India
World
TOI World Desk

Texas engineer collects 5,000 condiment packets, including a 1950 toothpaste sachet

Most people tear open a condiment packet, squeeze out the last drop and toss the wrapper without a second thought. Eric Thompson sees something beyond: a tiny piece of design, advertising and everyday history. Across his Texas home, thousands of these disposable packets have been transformed from fast-food leftovers into a meticulously organized archive. Meet Eric, a 39-year-old computer engineer from Helotes who has amassed roughly 5,000 single-serving sauce packets, turning an ordinary dining accessory into an unusually detailed collecting hobby.

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