FoodUnfolded Podcast

Industrial agriculture often neglects biodiversity and sustainable ecosystems. Food forests, on the other hand, are species-rich and full of life. Unlike natural forests, food forests are mainly composed of perennial edible plants, including trees and shrubs with edible fruits. They are self-sustaining, productive, and relatively inexpensive to manage. Could food forests be replacing part of our c...

The FAO estimates that we lost 75% of our crop diversity during the 20th century. This trend is threatening food security and human health. But in recent years awareness has increased and efforts to reverse this trend are being made. So what is crop diversity? How can this benefit our food system? #ChallengesWithFarming Article by Lina Dilly Read by Eloise Adler Graphics by Eloise Adler Sound Desi...

We love figs for their sweet flavour that pairs well with both sweet and savoury dishes. You probably never given them much thought - but, oh boy, do figs hold a few mysteries. So what exactly are figs, how are figs pollinated, what is a fig wasp, and why are they so special? Find these answers in our AudioArticle. #ChallengesWithFarming Article by Molly Melvin Read by Inés Oort Alonso Graphics by...

Soil is a precious mixture of the living, the never-living, and the dead. It’s a vital resource for 98.8% of our food - and it’s not renewable. Healthy soil is critical not only for farmers, but for whole ecosystems. Find out what makes up soil and what causes its damage in our 7 minute AudioArticle. #ChallengesWithFarming Article by Annabel Slater Read by Inés Oort Alonso Graphics by Eloise Adler...

As the most expensive spice in the world, saffron is an extremely lucrative product. With limited production and growing demand, the spice has become increasingly vulnerable to adulteration and counterfeits. A look into the darker side of the prized spice reveals systemic problems in the spice supply chain. #ChallengesWithFarming Article by Claudia Lee Read by Inés Oort Alonso Graphics by Eloise A...

Lobbying is often considered the sole remit of large companies and firms, but it also has the potential to directly influence our health, what is on our plates, and what we see in our supermarket aisles. Here’s how lobbying works to shape agricultural policy and influence both regional and national food environments - for better or worse. #ChallengesWithFarming Read the original article: How Does...

"During my first year of university, I went to the supermarket to buy an avocado and (it’s with great shame that I confess this) I came back home with a mango. Considering the sheer number of avocados that I eat today - in salads, on toast, as guacamole, you name it - it bewilders me that just a few years ago I did not know what an avocado looked like from the outside. Realising that my friends an...

More milk, fewer farmers and a sinking demand: So why has the price of milk been falling? And, why are we still producing more milk each year? Article by Katharina Kropshofer Read by Cait Mack Graphics by Eloise Adler Sound Design by Jane Alice Liu Read the full article " Milk Production: What Really Drives The Price of Milk? " Listen to FoodUnfolded AudioArticles on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wh...

If you look at a satellite image of Spain, you will observe a white dot in the South East of the peninsula often referred to as the ‘Orchard of Europe’. The plastic greenhouses making up that white dot supply many European supermarkets with their affordable produce. But how sustainable is this high-yield agricultural system? Article by Inés Oort Alonso Read by Inés Oort Alonso Graphics by Eloise A...

Bees and other pollinators play an invaluable role on our planet – from being an integral part of land-based ecosystems to sustaining human agricultural systems through pollination. But how does agriculture fare when these little miracle workers disappear from a landscape? Read on to learn why farmers in China’s Sichuan Province have resorted to pollinating their orchards by hand, why can't plants...

The Fairtrade certification system was created to support and empower marginalised small-scale producers and workers in low-income regions of the world. Fairtrade enables farmers and workers to tackle poverty and improve their own financial sustainability, by creating a trade model with fairer prices and working conditions. But to what degree does it work in practice? How does Fairtrade overcome l...

Understanding the impacts of sugar on our health is not an easy task. Food science is complicated and imperfect, but some level of confusion has been added in by sugar industry stakeholders, who have spent millions over the past few decades to support studies that would produce desirable results for their industry. That’s why a little historical journey will help us spot conflicts of interest and...

Have you heard of phosphorus? It’s a naturally abundant mineral, essential for the growth of plants. Although it naturally replenishes, the slow regeneration cycle of phosphorus reserves has led to concerns over improper management and unsustainable extraction. Listen on to learn how this might impact future food systems. Article by Madhura Rao Read by Madhura Rao Graphics by Eloise Adler Sound De...

Is soy bad for the environment? Produced on a colossal international scale, soy has a huge environmental impact – but probably not for the reasons you think. Listen to discover the hidden driving force behind soy-related deforestation, and why eating plant-based alternatives like soy is still better for the planet. Stream our AudioArticle: Is Soy Bad for the Environment? Article by Molly Melvin Re...

You would never know when looking at it, but vanilla happens to be one of the most volatile spices on the global market. On the whole, natural vanilla bean extract makes up only 1% of the vanilla flavour on the global market with the majority of vanilla flavouring coming from synthetically-produced vanillin. Some 1,700 to 1,800 tonnes of demand for natural vanilla is projected for 2020. Around 65%...

The organic food market is currently worth $168 billion and has more than doubled in the past decade. Despite being the fastest growing food sector in most European and North American countries, organic agriculture still only contributes to between 1 and 8% of total food sales in the regions. The European Union has now established that by 2030, a quarter of all European food production must be org...

Many workers employed onboard offshore fishing vessels have been subjected to unsafe working conditions, unfair wages, subpar living conditions and both physical and psychological abuse. While this issue exists around the world, it is particularly rampant in Southeast Asia, a region that owes much of its recent prosperity to its ability to provide cheap seafood through its fisheries. Here is the c...

Our supermarkets are brimming with Spanish produce: green beans, strawberries, aubergines, watermelons... If you live in a European country, chances are that you enjoy produce grown in the greenhouses of Almería, a region in the South-East of Spain. Here’s the side of Almerían greenhouse farming you don’t see. Article by Inés Oort Alonso Read by Inés Oort Alonso Sound Design by Jane Alice Liu Read...

Tomatoes are a staple ingredient in many homes across Europe, but the story of how they reach your plate may surprise you. This is a dark story of the invisible people who pick our tomatoes in Italy, but the story parallels many of the other fruits and vegetables we love and eat today, and many of the countries that proudly grow them. The story opens with a rather cheap and affordable tomato sauce...

Alongside the dramatic rise in health conscious and vegan diets, cashew nuts are fast becoming the world’s favourite nut. But does this rise in demand come at a greater cost? Listen to find out more on the working conditions of cashew processors in India, the hidden costs of cashew processing and how we as consumers can make a difference. Article by Molly Melvin Read by Cait Mack Sound Design by J...

Climate change, obesity, child labour, plastic pollution, and so on: these are all food-related problems and costs we don’t take into account when buying our groceries. How can we include these hidden costs, in order to pay the real price - the true cost - for our food products? Article by Marieke van Schoonhoven Read by Marieke van Schoonhoven Sound Design by Jane Alice Liu Read our full article:...

In this Strength2Food podcast special, we explore: How can we make school meals more sustainable and healthy through short supply chains? Is it possible to provide primary schools with organic produce? How could you get local producers involved through public food procurement? Dr Richard Simmons, from University of Stirling, elaborates on all this and more, with insights from action research in Se...

In this Strength2Food special mini-series episode, we explore: Is organic farming more sustainable than conventional farming? What are the broader social benefits of organic farming? What challenges do we still need to overcome to make organic production sustainable for all actors in the supply chain? Dr Burkhard Shaer, co-founder of ECOZEPT, elaborates on all this and more with insights from inte...

What are the biggest misconceptions around fisheries? How accurate are the facts in Seaspiracy? Professor Ray Hilborn, a marine and fisheries scientist, joins us on this episode of Food For Thought to clarify all this and more. Find out more at: www.sustainablefisheries-uw.org Find FoodUnfolded: www.foodunfolded.com IG: @food.unfolded

What is greenwashing? How can we spot greenwashing? But more importantly, what can be done about it? Join our first Editor's Table conversation. Speakers: Jane Alice Liu, Editor-in-Chief Silvia Lazzaris, Editor Aran Shaunak, Editor Oliver Fredriksson, Editor Find us on: www.foodunfolded.com IG: @food.unfolded Youtube: FoodUnfolded Powered by EIT Food Funded by the European Union