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The Holotypic Occlupanid Research Group (or HORG, /ˈhɔʌɡ/) is a research organisation utilising a semi-humorous approach to the taxonomy and cataloguing of bread clips, which have been coined occlupanids. Specifically, HORG is primarily interested in plastic bread clips, although began cataloguing paper-based bread clips from May 2022.

The existence of a morphological system of the classification of bread clips, such as what is achieved by HORG, has been recommended in articles published in internationally recognised medical journals as a result of various cases of accidental ingestion of bread clips, and the challenges identified in these cases. HORG is therefore using a semi-humorous approach to meet a genuine demand for research.

HORG accepts mail-in submissions for new or rare specimens of bread clips.

History

HORG was created in 1994 by John Daniel. He created the group with the intention of "pok fun at the politics of classification". Daniel is purported to be interested in taxonomy, and initially made the taxonomy of bread clips for his own enjoyment.

In 2011, Daniel co-authored a medical case study on the accidental ingestion of a bread clip by a person with intellectual disability. The bread clip was an incidental finding in this case, but the medical authors of the case noted that plastic bread clips may perforate or obstruct the gastrointestinal tract, and are potentially fatal. The patient in the case study underwent a CT scan, on which the bread clip was not visible, meaning that the clip was radiographically transparent. The clip had been in the patient's digestive tract for long enough for the markings on the clip to erode. The study suggested that the cataloguing and study of bread clips may be important, and the precise identification of bread clips found in medical contexts should be done in order to identify which designs are most dangerous.

Previous studies have reinforced this proposal, including one case study where a plastic bread clip perforated the small bowel of a patient, and the purchase by date on the ingested bread tag preceded the patient's presentation by two and a half years.

As at the publishing of the 2011 article, there had been at least 20 cases of plastic bread clips not passing through the gastrointestinal tract.

A Reddit page was created on 2 October 2017 for the study of occlupanids, inspired by HORG. Users discuss occlupanids, classifying and identifying them.

Taxonomy

HORG employs a system of taxonomy which is a humorous parody of biological taxonomy, treating "occlupanids" as a biological entity, with species (individual designs of bread clips) categorised into families and orders within the class "Occlupanida". "Occlupanids" are further classified into the phylum "Plasticae" (referring to plastic) and the kingdom "Microsynthera". HORG states that its taxonomy is based on the work of the International Association for Plant Taxonomy.

HORG also catalogues many bread clip–like products, such as clips on bags of grapes or clips to be used on N95 respirators. HORG classes these products in the class "Pseudocclupanida" (obviously derived from the prefix "pseudo-").

HORG began categorising paper or other natural fibre–based bread clips in May 2022. It noted that these clips are quite different in their nature to the bread clips HORG primarily catalogues, being biodegradable instead of "nearly idelible". HORG classes these in the class "Occlupanopsida" in the division "Chartoniphyta" of the kingdom "Papyrae".

Etymology

The term "Occlupanida" and occlupanid are stated to be derived from "occlu" meaning "to close" and "pan" meaning "bread". The research paper co-authored by Daniel in 2011 purports that these terms are Latin, however, "occlu" is likely derived from the English word "occlude", which is in turn derived from the Latin word occludere, from ob- meaning "in the way, against" and claudere meaning "to shut, close", not "occlu-". "Pan" likely derives from the Irish English usage of the word "pan" to mean "a loaf of bread" (from "pan-loaf").

The term "Papyrae", used for biodegradable (specifically wood fibre–based) bread clips, is derived from the term "papyrus" which is a thick material similar to paper.

Number of "species"

As of 30 August 2022, HORG had catalogued 208 'genuine species' of occlupanid into 17 different families (excluding the Pseudocclupanida class), including information on their prominence in various regions or countries, and with each entry including a thorough description on the particular morphology and a picture of the clip.

References

1. ^ Lehmer, L. M.; Ragsdale, B. D.; Daniel, J.; Hayashi, E.; Kvalstad, R. (4 September 2011). "Plastic bag clip discovered in partial colectomy accompanying proposal for phylogenic plastic bag clip classification". BMJ Case Reports. 2011 (sep04 1): bcr0220113869. doi:10.1136/bcr.02.2011.3869. ISSN 1757-790X. PMC 3176375. PMID 22679182.
2. "Contact HORG". 28 February 2012. Retrieved 21 October 2024.
3. ^ Ling, Isabel (10 September 2024). "Building a Design Taxonomy with the Holotypic Occlupanid Research Group". MOLD :: Designing the Future of Food. Retrieved 20 October 2024.
4. Tang, Anthony P. H.; Kong, Andrew B.; Walsh, David; Verma, Ratan (May 2005). "Small bowel perforation due to a plastic bread bag clip: The case for clip redesign". ANZ Journal of Surgery. 75 (5): 360–362. doi:10.1111/j.1445-2197.2005.03356.x. ISSN 1445-1433. PMID 15932452.
5. "r/occlupanids". www.reddit.com. Reddit. 2 October 2017. Retrieved 21 October 2024.
6. ^ "Taxonomy | HORG". 22 February 2012. Retrieved 21 October 2024.
7. ^ "Adstringosaccus bediae |". 26 March 2012. Retrieved 20 October 2024.
8. ^ "Cartonalia: The Occlupanopsida". 14 May 2022. Retrieved 20 October 2024.
9. "Pseudo-occlupanids | HORG". 23 January 2020. Retrieved 20 October 2024.
10. "Definition of OCCLUDE". www.merriam-webster.com. Retrieved 20 October 2024.
11. "occlude | Etymology of occlude by etymonline". www.etymonline.com. Retrieved 20 October 2024.
12. "pan, n.¹", Oxford English Dictionary (3 ed.), Oxford University Press, 2 March 2023, doi:10.1093/oed/1078249498, retrieved 20 October 2024
13. Rauwerda, Annie (25 August 2022). "The utterly delightful site dedicated to classifying plastic bread tags". Input. Retrieved 21 October 2024.

• Research organizations in the United States