The chemistry of soap manufacturing stayed essentially the same until 1916, when the first synthetic detergent was developed in Germany in response to a World War I-related shortage of fats for making soap. Known today simply as detergents, synthetic detergents are non-soap washing and cleaning products that are "synthesized" or put together chemically from a variety of raw materials. The discovery of detergents was also driven by the need for a cleaning agent that, unlike soap, would not combine with the mineral salts in water to form an insoluble substance known as soap curd. 

Laundry detergent pods is a new category of the detergent products family. It's usually a jelly gel pod. People online have a challenge to eat the Tide pods which is very dangerous! What't the pods are made of make it toxic than normal liquid ?

"Many reports and suggestions to moms about the laundry detergent pods may harm your baby make them very worry about it's safety. Honestly speaking the capsule is the best laundry form we now have on market and will be the next most widely used detergent type. But before that the safety problem should be solved.