Emulsifiers are among the most common food additives found in ultra-processed foods (UPFs), a much-discussed category of foods commonly defined as those made using manufactured ingredients. They are often packaged and have a long shelf life. Research examining the impact of diets high in UPFs suggests higher rates of obesity and diseases such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and cancer.However, discussions about labeling these foods as "ultra-processed" have also sparked debates about whether their negative effects are primarily due to their high fat, sugar, and salt content, or whether they stem from the effects of processing itself, particularly the additives they contain.In this episode, Jaega Wise explores one of the most commonly used additives in UPFs—emulsifiers. She investigates how they work, what they do, their history, associated health concerns, and their potential future developments.Featuring: Nicola Lando and Ross Brown from the online specialty cooking supplies company Sous Chef; Tim Spector, professor of epidemiology at King’s College London and co-founder of the personalized health app Zoe; food historian Annie Gray; John Ruff, Chief Science Advisor at the Institute of Food Technologists; Professor Barry Smith at the University of London’s Centre for the Study of the Senses; Professor Anwesha Sarkar, an expert in colloids and surfaces at Leeds University’s School of Food Science and Nutrition; and Dr. Benoit Chassaing, a research director at The Institut Pasteur in Paris, who studies microbiota and the health impacts of certain emulsifiers.Presented by Jaega Wise
Produced in Bristol for BBC Audio by Natalie Donovan
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42:48
Food and AI
How will Artificial Intelligence (AI) transform the food industry? Experts say it's already having an effect - whether through self-service checkouts or the algorithms that determine which recipes you see online or the way supermarkets are using it to predict the next big food trend.Jaega Wise heads to the Waitrose Headquarters in Berkshire to find out how their product development team is using AI to inform which ingredients they stock on the shelves. She also talks to the firm Tastewise which makes software that calculates food trends by analysing social media and online menus.A restaurant in Glasgow is already using embodied AI in the form of robots which serve their customers. Jaega witnesses the robots in action and finds diners are divided over their use. She also talks to consumer affairs journalist Harry Wallop about how supermarkets use our data and the futurist Tracey Follows who gives us her take on what might happen next in the world of AI. Jaega also hears the tipped top food trends for 2025. Presented by Jaega Wise
Produced for BBC Audio in Bristol by Robin Markwell
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41:48
Food Bank Nation
In the year 2000 there were barely any food banks in the UK but today there are nearly three thousand. So what's behind the sharp rise and how did it get to a point where the government says we have "a mass dependence" on food banks? In this episode Jaega Wise tells the story of the food bank. She hears from those using the Bristol North West food bank. They talk openly about how the food bank helped turn their lives around. She also visits a "social supermarket" in south London where people on benefits are able to shop from donated stock cheaply. Dr Andy Williams from Cardiff University discusses how the food bank model was imported from the United States where it had its roots in the Great Depression and Emma Revie of the Trussell Trust gives her view on why there has been such a surge in food bank usage.Jaega also visits Middlesbrough where the former Prime Minister Gordon Brown is opening a "Multibank" - these are warehouses full of donated stock that includes food and other household goods. Gordon Brown talks about his ambition to open Multibanks all over the country to tackle the growing problem of food insecurity.Presented by Jaega Wise
Produced for BBC Audio in Bristol by Robin Markwell
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41:45
The Dickens Effect: How the Writer Influenced Food at Christmas.
Dan Saladino explores the impact a Christmas Carol and other Charles Dickens novels have had on festive eating, with food historian Ivan Day and food writer Penelope Vogler. Produced and presented by Dan Saladino.
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41:44
Christmas: The Gift of Food
Christmas is a time for giving, and for many charities, that often means food. Jaega Wise explores the tradition and looks into the planning that goes into festive food donations.Food historian Carwyn Graves explains how the custom of giving food at Christmas has evolved over the centuries, and why the season inspires so many to give back to their communities.In Aberdare, we meet the team behind Company at Christmas, who host a festive feast for anyone who doesn’t want to spend Christmas Day alone. The new CEO of Fareshare discusses how the charity manages the extra surplus food during the festive season, while Tim O’Malley from Nationwide Produce Ltd explains how his company has been working to ensure as little fresh food goes to waste as possible.In Glasgow, Social Bite founder Josh Littlejohn discusses why Christmas has become a cornerstone of his social enterprise and charity, alongside one of the volunteers who will be there to greet guests. Meanwhile, Lesley Gates in Bridgwater—known locally as Bibbidi-Bobbidi-Boo—shows how she’s helping people make the most of their Christmas dinner ingredients through practical demonstrations on saving money and reducing waste.And in Cumbria, Rahina Borthwick, founder of the Grange-Over-Sands Community Foodshare, reflects on the importance of giving within her seaside town. She shares how their community space has become an important gathering point, including for Ukrainian refugees to celebrate Christmas together.Presented by Jaega Wise
Produced for BBC Audio in Bristol by Natalie Donovan.
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