Duracell is trying to make its coin cell batteries a little less enticing to eat: the company is adding a new bitter coating to its 2032, 2025, and 2016 size lithium coin batteries, with the aim of discouraging young children from accidentally eating the otherwise (apparently) irresistible-looking batteries.
The new batteries — which began rolling out in stores earlier this month — feature a coating on the bottom that reacts with saliva to release a bitter taste that will in turn discourage children from actually swallowing the battery. Duracell notes that swallowing a lithium battery can cause a “harmful chemical reaction in as little as two hours.” By making the batteries too bitter to swallow, the company is hoping to prevent those…