Food Matters Live Podcast

In this episode of the Food Matters Live podcast, we are delving into the history of one of Britain’s favourite dishes. If you are already smelling salt, vinegar, and tartare sauce, you have guessed right…   Fish and Chips is an absolute British classic and a colossal earner for the food industry. 382 million portions are sold every year by fish and chip shops alone, and Britain has 8,600 of those...

In this episode of the Food Matters Live podcast, we are gazing into our crystal ball to look at what the future might hold for New Product Development. New Product Development , or NPD, is at the heart of what makes the food and drink industry an exciting place to be. As we shift to prioritising sustainable diets, it is crucial to adapting our food systems to make that a reality. So how do you ge...

The dairy industry has been a staple of human society for centuries, but in recent years it has begun going through nothing short of a revolution. There have been huge innovations in the types of dairy products available on our shelves, and in the way dairy products are produced. But the story of dairy goes even further than that, and the really big changes have been seen in the emergence and grow...

The evolutionary success of humankind has relied on a handful of fundamental but often unsung food and drink developments. Featuring on that shortlist are salt , the domestication of plant species, the flint, the invention of irrigation, the potato, fermentation , the domestication of animals, and Jethro Tull's seed drill. The list goes on, but they are some of the fundamentals.  One development t...

Food security and the sustainability of our food supply chains are major global issues. For anyone considering a green job in the food and drink sector, it is crucial to gain a better understanding of the sustainability challenges we face. It is also vital to explore what is being done to overcome those challenges, and the kind of work the next generation might be doing. This episode of the Food M...

In this episode of the Food Matters Live podcast, we are turning down the lights, turning up the music, and getting out the finest cutlery as we talk about the food of love. And specifically, the idea of aphrodisiacs – those foods which, it is claimed, have a love-inducing power on us, which are stimulating, potent, and get the blood flowing. In modern times, oysters or chocolate are claimed to do...

The impact of Brexit has been huge for the food and drink industry in the UK, but it has also had a profound effect on its nearest neighbour, the Republic of Ireland. In recent decades, the European Union has been beneficial for Ireland. Not just because of frictionless, tariff-free trade, but in terms of economic development, cultural ties and politics too. And in the middle of all this; the deli...

Fragile bones mean we are more likely to get fractures, but what role can the foods we eat play in helping us to keep our bones strong and healthy? Osteoporotic or fragility fractures affect an awful lot of us, globally one-in-three women and one-in-five men who are older than 50.    They can be very serious and severely impair quality of life. We know nutrition can play a vital role here. It has...

It is clear our early years are crucial in shaping the rest of our lives, but when it comes to food, those years can be a roller coaster.    The foods that comfort children, the foods they want, the foods they crave (and the foods they are sold), are not always the best things for them. As any parent knows, it can be a nightmare trying to get your children to eat a balanced diet.  And, sorry folks...

Scotland has set itself an ambitious target, to reach net zero emissions of all greenhouse gas emissions by 2045. The Climate Change Act 2019 commits the country to the target, which is more difficult to achieve than a net-zero carbon target, which commits only to balancing carbon dioxide emissions. So how is Scotland doing in its drive to meet this target? And how will it affect the food and drin...

We all want to make an impact with the work we do, there can be no doubt that Michelle Berriedale-Johnson has achieved just that. She is an expert on food allergies and intolerances , and it would be no underestimation to say she has been crucial in spreading that knowledge to healthcare professionals and the wider public. Over the past decade, we have all become much more aware of food allergies...

It is three years since the United Kingdom officially withdrew from the European Union. One year later, in January 2021, a new post-Brexit trade deal came into force between the UK and the EU.   There is no doubt, it has been a bumpy ride for anybody importing or exporting.    Gone are many of the old certainties. Instead, we have had what a recent study from the London School of Economics called...

In this episode of the Food Matters Live podcast we are following the money, looking ahead and asking where investors will be putting their cash in 2023. It is not necessarily a straightforward question, the world continues to be a complex place. We have had heatwaves and floods, inflation is causing economic turmoil all over the place, and the ongoing conflict in Ukraine is causing global turbule...

Launching and establishing a successful coffee brand is no mean feat. There are plenty of well-established brands already in the market and finding space for a new one presents a whole host of challenges. Will Little, Managing Director of Little's Coffee , puts the success of his brand down to a quality product, honesty, and most importantly, passion. In this episodes of the Career Conversations p...

Anyone who has worked irregular hours knows that the world is built around daytime eating, not just in the home, but at shops, cafes, restaurants and canteens . But there are millions of us working rotating shifts, nightshifts and irregular hours. And when the shops are shut, and decent food is in short supply, we tend to reach all too often for those quick fixes – the crisps and the chocolate bar...

Plant-based meat alternatives are supposed to be better for the planet and they are supposed to be good for you. But as they have grown in popularity, there are claims from some quarters that there is something of a halo effect at play, and that some of these health and environmental claims do not quite stack up. Evidence is offered which mentions the nutritional shortcomings of plant-based proces...

"We have a growing population, lots of changes in the climate, lots of greenhouse gas emissions which are jeopardising our food production, and we are at risk of not being able to feed the world." Natalia Falagán, Lecturer in Food Science and Technology, Cranfield University , succinctly sets out some of the major issues the world is facing, and why students are queuing up to enrol on her courses....

When it comes to fibre, the fact is we are not getting enough of it. Across most of the Western world, there is a lack of adequate fibre in our diets and that is contributing to health problems. In the UK, the Government says we are consuming an average of 20 grams per day, but we should be consuming 30 grams. And it is similar around the world. But why is fibre lacking in so many countries, acros...

Today we are looking at plastic bottle Deposit Return Schemes and, in particular, a scheme due to be introduced in the UK in the next couple of years. The idea is to reduce the millions of plastic bottles a day that go un-recycled, by getting consumers to pay a little extra for a drink. They can then claim that extra payment back if they return the bottle for recycling. Deposit return schemes are...

Charles Michel is a man of many talents, not least, thinking deeply about cooking. You may recognise him from the Netflix show "The Final Table" , where he was selected to take part in a global culinary competition. But Charles' career has taken him on all sorts of journeys, and his love of the art, science and philosophy of cooking is what motives him. In this episode of the Career Conversations...

As Veganuary 2023 gets into full swing, we are taking a look at the future of plant-based food. The plant-based sector is one of the most innovative in the food industry, with new ideas, new concepts, and new technologies emerging all the time. That makes it a fascinating area to be involved in, and a fascinating area to watch as it develops at seemingly lightning speed. In this episode of the Foo...

It is probably fair to say the kidney is one of the more overlooked organs in the body. As with a lot of things, we do not tend to pay it much attention until it is not functioning properly. But kidney disease is more prevalent than you might think. 3.5 million people in the UK are living at risk of chronic kidney disease and it can affect anyone at any time. While kidney disease can be extremely...

Max Jamilly has a vision - a world where the industrial farming of animals is a thing of the past. With its impact on the environment, human health, and the health and wellbeing of animals, his vision is not unique. But where Max Jamilly differs from many others, is the work he is doing to make that vision become a reality. Max set up Hoxton Farms in 2020 alongside his childhood friend Ed Steele....

Everyone knows that we are not all the same, there is wonderful diversity in our bodies, our genetics, our lifestyles, and our preferences. And yet, when it comes to nutrition, the most successful public health messages are the broad guidelines, which suggests one size can fit all.   Think five-a-day, taking Vitamin D through the autumn and winter, and so on. At the same time, the science behind n...

Eating is a multi-sensory experience, all our sensory mechanisms working together to judge taste, flavour , texture, and assess the underlying nutrition. Humans have evolved to become incredibly good at this, which can be a problem for innovators, particularly for those in the plant-based sector. Because despite the huge amount of brainwork going into developing the taste and texture of plant-base...