The gunge that is widely used on television is an industrial powder thickener hydroxyethyl cellulose, mainly used in production of the sauce for apple pies. Alternatively, other items can be used for "gunge", for example eggs, sauces, as well as other messy items. In many cases, the gunging occurs in a gunge tank, a transparent booth with a means for storing and releasing the gunge. Due to source ingredients uses as food thickeners in soups and stews, gunge is often safe to eat, provided the colouring is also non-toxic. Other ingredients used in gunge can be Oobleck, a mixture of cornstarch and water, and Xanthan gum, another food additive.