Food Matters Live Podcast

Last November, the eyes of the world were on Sharm el-Sheik as Egypt hosted COP27, the UN Climate Change Conference. The host country was rallying other nations to gear up their climate action, hoping to persuade politicians around the globe to take us in a direction which avoids climate catastrophe. COP26 in Glasgow in 2021 was criticised in some quarters for failing to put food systems at the he...

Pippa Murray is a visionary entrepreneur, a trailblazer in the world of nut butter, and the founder of the acclaimed brand Pip & Nut. Founded in 2013, it saw incredible success from the very beginning. Just a couple years in, her products were winning awards and were launched in Sainsbury's and Selfridges. It has been B Corp Certified since 2019 and is now the fastest growing nut butter brand...

The picnic is a pastime loved by many. They bring people together, connect us with nature and make mealtime a little more exciting. But the evolution of the picnic is a fascinating one and there is a rich history behind this outdoor feast. From 18th century banquets to modern-day gatherings in the park, the picnic has evolved over time, reflecting changes in social norms and everyday life. Finger...

Climate change is the great challenge of our time – a problem so big, that tackling it requires co-operation on a scale we have never seen before. Our reliance on fossil fuels means that most aspects of our lives as individuals, and the economies we rely on, contribute to rising temperatures. And the food and drink industry is central to that. There is no getting away from the fact that the global...

As more of us look to improve our health and wellbeing, antioxidants have piqued the interest of some in the food and drinks industry. There is plenty of evidence that antioxidants are vital in protecting our cells from harm, but how does that link to our diets? How does what we eat correlate with the number and type of antioxidants in our bodies? And what about supplements? What role can they pla...

In this episode we explore the links between alcohol and religion. The consumption of alcohol is central to some of the world’s most popular religions, and for centuries it has been an important part of religious and spiritual rituals. The question is – why? This relationship between religion and alcohol has a long and fascinating history, and has been explored in great depth by the author, broadc...

Over the last few years, the world of eSports has exploded in popularity. By 2024, its global audience on platforms like YouTube and Twitch is expected to reach nearly 600 million people. That is a huge increase on the roughly 400 million recorded in 2019. Yet despite the growing recognition of gaming as a serious sport, there remains a significant gap in the research around the role of nutrition...

What is it that drives Harriet Lamb, the woman behind the Fairtrade movement and current CEO of WRAP ? It is the first question we ask in this episode of the Food Matters Live podcast, and the answer is a chastening one. "I was researching why bananas are so cheap in our shops and I went to Costa Rica," she says. "I was met by Carlos, who drives me for miles through plantations of bananas, beautif...

Britain is a nation of cheese lovers. In 2022 a Mintel report showed a third of us ate it two-to-three times a week. And British cheese is booming. The British Cheese Board says we now produce more than 700 varieties. But it was not always thus… In fact the history of British cheese is a turbulent one, with peaks and troughs throughout the ages. Things got so bad in the post-War period that the so...

When it comes to sustainability , academic research is at the heart of moving ideas forward, creating innovation and generating effective policy. Seeking to maximise the positive impact of the research in this area, in 2022 the University of Surrey launched the Institute for Sustainability . Exploring topics such as green living, net-zero energy and environmental prosperity, the institute promotes...

Eating disorders are a growing problem in the Western world and failure to treat them properly can lead to devastating outcomes. In England, the National Health Service says hospital admissions have risen by more than 80 per cent in the last five years. The increase is particularly stark among boys and young men, with a 128 per cent rise in that time. Various studies show that males account for an...

It is probably a universal concern for parents: Is my child eating the right food to support their physical and mental development? But in between dealing with everyday life and cooking foods your child actually likes, meeting their nutritional needs can be a challenge. And other factors like the cost of living crisis only add to the stress. A recent study in the UK suggests a fifth of parents hav...

Vegetarianism, in Western cultures at least, is on the rise. More people are choosing not to eat meat, although globally it is a much more opaque picture. There is no doubt that in the West, adopting a vegetarian diet has been one of the top trends for the food industry to consider in recent years. But the history of vegetarianism is anything but recent. It goes all the way back to new ideas in an...

Paul Lindley OBE is a renowned entrepreneur, best-selling author, and philanthropist whose career has been one of innovation and social responsibility. In 2006, he founded the organic children’s food brand Ella's Kitchen which has seen phenomenal success. In the UK, it is the largest baby food business, amongst the 10 fastest growing private companies, and was one of the first certified B Corporat...

We could probably survive in a world without bees, but it would be a poorer one. It is nothing new to say that bees play a crucial role in supporting ecosystems. In a world without bees, not only would we have to get by without their delicious honey , many of the food stuffs we currently enjoy would likely disappear. Food insecurity would rise, and we would be financially worse off – bees contribu...

Knowing where food comes from may not seem essential to some.  Why know how to grow a courgette when you can simply buy one at the supermarket? But is that attitude sustainable in a world with rising costs , rising temperatures, and rising global insecurity? A recent study suggests our knowledge about food in the UK – how it is made and where it comes from – is limited. 25% of children surveyed sa...

Plant-based dairy is, perhaps, the longest-running success story of the plant-based movement. In parts of the world, people have been drinking milk alternatives for centuries, whilst margarine has widely been made without the use of animal products since the end of the Second World War. But there is no doubt that the dairy-free trend has really picked up in recent years. There is now a lot more ch...

Across the world, hunger is a daily reality for far too many people. Around 2.4 billion people lack access to sufficient nutrition, which is almost a third of the global population. It is often passed through generations, making the vicious cycle of hunger hard to tackle. And factors like poverty, conflict and climate change only exacerbate the problem. Each year, World Hunger Day acts to call att...

Denmark is a key player in the global food system, from meat and dairy exports to beer production, the label “Made in Denmark” means a lot. And now, the country is turning much of its attention to plant-based in a major way.  Over the last couple of years, the Danish government has set aside well over £1bn to support the production of plant-based food and a ‘green transformation’ of the agricultur...

In March this year, the UK Government passed a new law allowing gene-edited food to be developed commercially in England. It is a controversial subject and one which has its supporters and its detractors. Those in favour say it will improve food security, making it easier to develop hardier crops that will help us meet one of the challenges of climate change. Critics fear as-yet, unknown, unintend...

The coronation of King Charles the Third is upon us. But away from the street parties and the pomp at Westminster Abbey and Buckingham Palace, we are going to focus on the new King’s impact on agriculture. As Prince of Wales, Charles was a long-time advocate for sustainable agriculture – sometimes getting in trouble for expressing his views. Once described as a one-man NGO, he was arguably ahead o...

In this episode of the Food Matters Live podcast, we investigate the potential link between mental health and ultra-processed foods. The term ‘processed food’ encompasses more than you might think. From grinding wheat to cooking an egg, processed just means altering a food in some way during preparation. Ultra-processed foods are a bit different, usually altered beyond recognition and with plenty...

African Swine Fever is an incurable disease that is currently spreading between pig populations in Africa, Asia and Europe. It affects domestic pigs and wild boar, and has a mortality rate between 95% and 100%. There is no risk to human health, but the World Organisation for Animal Health says the disease is the biggest threat to commercial pig production the industry has ever seen . In the UK, th...

There are probably few spices that have been written about as much as turmeric. It is a fantastic thing to behold, the colour alone, a rich yellow or deep orange, makes it stand out from the crowd. Half of the world's turmeric is consumed in India where it is often referred to as "the golden goddess". It has been used in cooking for centuries and, in the UK at least, has long been regarded as mere...

With Allergen Awareness Week in full swing, the Food Matters Live podcast, in partnership with Dutch Spices , is focussing on allergen-free food. Food allergies and intolerances affect millions of people worldwide. In Europe alone, more than 17 million people suffer with them. They may find themselves avoiding eating out, missing meals with family and friends, and endlessly checking food labels. A...