The Food Chain

Around 100 countries have official dietary guidelines, and more are on their way. But who is following them? Ruth Alexander asks how realistic healthy-eating advice is as she explores how official recommendations are developed, what they’re trying to achieve, and the obstacles standing in our way. We hear from Fatima Hachem, Senior Nutrition Officer at the United Nation’s Food and Agriculture Orga...

Rice is the main staple for over half the world’s population. The crop has problems though – it is vulnerable to climate change, whether that’s drought or flooding. It’s also a crop that contributes to climate change, as it uses more water than other grain crops and is frequently grown in flooded conditions. Rice production is also a big source of methane emissions. In this programme Ruth Alexande...

When there are so many recipes available for free online, why does anyone still buy cookbooks? In this programme we look into the business of selling cookbooks, what future the format may have and hear about the treasured tomes you turn to time and time again. Ruth Alexander visits Books for Cooks, a specialist cookbook shop in London, to chat to Eric Treuille who cooks lunch for his customers fro...

Prosecco flavoured crisps? Eggnog chicken? Sticky toffee pudding trifle? The innovation for novelty Christmas products seems endless, but is there the appetite? Ruth Alexander lifts the lid on an industry churning out festive food hits, and flops, in the race for Christmas tastebuds. She visits the Good Housekeeping Institute in London to take part in an opulent dessert testing event, deciding whi...

Which food do you associate with your favourite sport? Pie and chips at an English football match, biriyanis at the cricket in Pakistan or grilling meat in the parking lot outside an American football game – there are some tasty traditions which go hand-in-hand with sport across the world. Ruth Alexander hears how a traditional rice dish can bring two rival nations together over a game of cricket,...

Crookie, anyone? Cronut, croffle? Ruth Alexander looks at the rise of the dessert café and the extraordinary creations it’s spawned. She visits one such café in Manchester with roses adorning the walls, and chocolate adorning almost everything else. And speaks to a food blogger in Dubai and a café owner in USA about the latest trends and the businesses who have been serving puddings for decades. F...

From America to Mongolia, you can go into a restaurant run by a global fast-food chain, and buy the same meal. So how did fast food become so successful? Across the world, last year we spent more than 900 billion dollars on fast food. The USA, where it all began, consumes the most, but even in France, despite its history of haute cuisine, more than half of households regularly enjoy burgers and fr...

We are celebrating 10 years of The Food Chain with some of our favourite programme moments from the past decade. Fishing to stay alive, chopping onions in remembrance, and tasting people’s names – these stories and more tell us something about our relationship with food and how it helps us connect with one another. If you would like to get in touch with the show, please email: thefoodchain@bbc.co....

Dull? Boring? Plain? Vanilla is a byword for something which is ordinary or standard. In this programme Ruth Alexander finds the story of the popular spice is anything but normal. Originating in Mexico it’s travelled the globe and taken over, and is now one of the most valuable commodities available. It’s gone from being highly sought after and the height of luxury – even serving as an aphrodisiac...

How do our work habits shape what we eat? In this programme Izzy Greenfield discovers the history of the workplace lunch and the ways in which society has reshaped it. Historian Megan Elias of Boston University in the US explains how lunches have evolved from the factories of the 19th century Industrial Revolution to sandwiches eaten at the desk in 20th century offices. Izzy visits an office and c...

Water scarcity is an increasing problem on every continent, according to the United Nations. Around half the world’s population experiences severe water scarcity for at least part of the year, according to a report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Global warming and population growth is expected to make the situation worse, so what is it like to run a home or a business amid water...

Did you share a flat, house or kitchen as a student or professional? Is it the shared meals and conversation that stay with you, or the piles of dirty dishes and missing food? This week Ruth Alexander has a look around shared kitchens all over the world. We hear the good, bad and dirty – and give advice on how to build cooperation in your shared kitchen. Ruth hears from a former housemate what she...

Do you know how much you should drink? Many global guidelines recommend approximately 2 litres a day for women and 2.5 litres a day for men, including food. But scientists say there is actually huge variation in how much each of us need as individuals. Ruth Alexander speaks to Professor John Speakman at the University of Aberdeen in Scotland, who explains why your age, sex, weight, and other envir...

Is it possible to taste a place? A listener wonders whether the French concept of ‘terroir’ can apply to food and, if so, what the science behind it is. Ruth Alexander goes in search of the answer, exploring how growing conditions and practices can develop flavours unique to a location. She also hears about why the value you give to certain flavours might also be cultural. Ruth speaks to a honey e...

Fancy starting a food truck? It can be a way to trial new food concepts and see if your business has potential before committing to a restaurant premises. Ruth Alexander finds out what its really like running a food truck or van. She meets customers queuing for over an hour for the SpudBros van in Preston, north-west England, where brothers Harley and Jacob Nelson have drummed up business for thei...

An Indian curry house is one of the most popular places to go out for a meal in the UK, and is part of British life. But many people do not know their origins lie in what is now Bangladesh, after a wave of migration from there in the 1970s. Devina Gupta traces their history and flavours on Brick Lane in east London, where many people settled and started restaurants. Many have closed over the years...

Ruth Alexander learns about ‘forever’ foods - stocks, soups and sourdough starters that can be replenished again and again and used for weeks, months or even years. Ruth hears about a beef soup in Bangkok that has been maintained for 50 years, and she bakes a loaf of sourdough bread using a 69-year-old starter that has been kept going by Hobbs House Bakery in the south-west of England. Cookbook wr...

Social media is awash with videos of people trying out new recipes at home and exploring the best hidden foodie gems in cities around the world. The stream of content seems endless – so how do the people making these videos keep up? Ruth Alexander speaks to three people in the UK, USA and Vietnam about having six meals before 10am, the relentless pressure to keep up with viral trends, and what the...

If you’re a light or moderate drinker, the World Health Organization wants you to know that no level of alcohol is safe for your health. But just how big is that risk and might it be one you’re willing to take? And what happened to the idea that a glass of red wine might be good for you? In this programme Ruth Alexander finds out about the studies the guidance has been based on, and the statistica...

Is it worth taking collagen? With cosmetic companies and A-listers claiming it can slow the effects of ageing, the market for collagen supplements is booming. How sure is the science though? Ruth Alexander speaks to experts about what we do and don’t know about what these powders, gels and capsules are doing inside our bodies. She hears from a personal trainer and runner in her 50s about why she t...

Have you visited a food hall recently? It’s a venue bringing together multiple independent food and drink businesses, often with communal seating. We look at the ways in which food halls are being used to bring consumers and spend to new areas, raising the value of surrounding offices, apartments and other businesses. In this programme Devina Gupta visits Society food hall in Manchester in the UK,...

Strawberries at the airport when meeting your future husband for the first time, finally tasting world famous fish and chips and wondering why on earth the pasta is green. These are some of this week’s stories of first impressions of food in a new country. Devina Gupta visits a multilingual cooking class in Manchester, UK, to find out how language, culture and food help people find a home in a new...

Have you heard of ‘super sweet’ sweetcorn? If you’ve purchased fresh, frozen or tinned sweetcorn in the last few decades there’s a good chance its the super sweet variety. It’s an example of how our fruit and vegetables have been bred over time to make them sweeter, or less bitter. Its partly about appealing to consumer tastes, but can have other advantages such as better storage and reducing food...

Three million bananas; 600-800 baguettes a day; 47,000 plates...as the world’s elite sportsmen and women arrive in Paris, a huge catering operation awaits them. Ruth Alexander finds out what it takes to keep the athletes happy and fuel a medal-winning performance. Team GB pole vaulter Holly Bradshaw talks about her relationship with food during her years as an athlete, and why she’s looking forwar...

Why do we cook? To create flavour, to aid digestion and to release nutrients from our food. Every time we fry, steam, boil, or bake a series of chemical reactions take place that are key to a dish’s success. In this programme Ruth Alexander puts questions from the BBC World Service audience to Dr Stuart Farrimond in the UK, author of ‘The Science of Cooking’. Susannah and Aaron Rickard in Australi...