The Food Chain
Episodes
This Food Will Save Your Life*
07 Mar 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Why are humans so vulnerable to big promises about food? Emily Thomas meets some people who became convinced salvation lay in what they ate, and a neu...
Eat, Stay, Love
01 Mar 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Three women who fled the countries they were born in because of war or conflict tell us how food helped them rebuild their lives, explore family secre...
The New Animals
15 Feb 2018
Contributed by Lukas
The world’s first genetically engineered animal for human consumption landed on Canadian dinner tables last year. Its arrival did not go by without ...
The Pig Problem
08 Feb 2018
Contributed by Lukas
A deadly and highly contagious disease is spreading across Europe's pig farms. African Swine Fever Virus doesn't harm humans, but once it infects dome...
The Food Pilgrims
01 Feb 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Can you think of a food you would travel across continents for? Emily Thomas meets people who have gone to extreme lengths for one special meal or ing...
I Can't Taste!
25 Jan 2018
Contributed by Lukas
If you could not taste your food, what would you eat? Would you even want to? Taste disorders are rare, but they can have devastating impacts on peopl...
Gordon Ramsay: My life in five dishes
18 Jan 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Chef Gordon Ramsay is world-famous but, he tells us, people no longer want to talk about his food. The celebrity has become known as much for his cook...
In Search of Wine's 'Holy Grail'
11 Jan 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Wine has been getting more and more alcoholic in recent decades, driven by consumer tastes and climate change. This has big implications not only for ...
The Comedy of Food
04 Jan 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Does food ever make you laugh out loud? We try to stand up the theory that food is getting funnier because modern diets make it a richer sauce of come...
Big Tech Wants Your Food Shop
28 Dec 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Technology giants are gobbling up the online grocery market - and over the past year we’ve seen Amazon and Alibaba getting their teeth into bricks a...
Food Chain: The Quiz 2017
21 Dec 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Have you ever wondered what to do with a watermelon outside the kitchen? Or how many hot dogs a person can eat in 10 minutes? It's time to find out wi...
How to Make a Farmer
14 Dec 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Fancy a career change? If you're not doing it already, what would it take to make you a farmer? Would smart technology, matchmaking websites or realit...
I Won't Farm!
07 Dec 2017
Contributed by Lukas
The average age of farmers globally is thought to be around 60, and rising. So where have all the young farmers gone and who is going to farm our food...
Where's my African Takeaway?
30 Nov 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Why have so few African cuisines made it onto the world’s culinary stage? Whether it's Michelin stars, popular restaurant chains, or even takeaways ...
The 'Disneyland' of Food?
23 Nov 2017
Contributed by Lukas
We're in Bologna, Italy as FICO Eataly World opens its doors to a curious public. Its mission is to educate people about Italian food, and attract 6 m...
The Boundless Ambition of Gum
09 Nov 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Chewing gum seems to be on a mission to reinvent itself. There’s little we’re told it can’t do these days - prevent tooth decay, cure hangovers,...
Contain Yourself!
02 Nov 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Does your favourite drink taste better from a bottle, cup or can? Are foods enhanced by particular plates, or packaging? Or is it all in your head? Em...
Competitive Eating: Chewing it Over
19 Oct 2017
Contributed by Lukas
What happens to your body when you eat 70 hot dogs in 10 minutes, and why would thousands of people watch you do it? We’re exploring the curious app...
Competitive Eating: The 'Gurgitators'
12 Oct 2017
Contributed by Lukas
We speak to some of the world's most successful competitive eaters and find out how, and why, they do it.In the first of two episodes on the so-called...
Madhur Jaffrey: My Life in Five Dishes
05 Oct 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Join us for five unforgettable dishes from one extraordinary life as the food writer and actress Madhur Jaffrey reveals some rather surprising mealtim...
A Fly Future?
28 Sep 2017
Contributed by Lukas
We're in South Africa again to find out whether fly larvae could help humans eat more meat and fish.As the global population expands, traditional feed...
The Maggot Masters
21 Sep 2017
Contributed by Lukas
This week we’re in South Africa, picking up great big squirming handfuls of maggots. Could these unpalatable little creatures hold the answer to som...
Cow Candy
14 Sep 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Why do farmers feed their cows sweets? What are the implications for the animals’ health, the environment and the taste of our meat?From the mystery...
Finding a Food Champion
07 Sep 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Meet the people determined to revolutionise what and how we eat as we launch our first ever international award. We hear about the four shortlisted pr...
The Art of Fermentation
31 Aug 2017
Contributed by Lukas
For 20 years Sandor Katz has been fascinated by fermentation - the breaking down of food and drink by microbes. Through his books and workshops he ha...
Upper Crust?
24 Aug 2017
Contributed by Lukas
What does your choice of loaf say about you? Is your sourdough a source of pride? Have you ever felt ashamed of your sliced white? Flour, water, and s...
Is Social Media Putting You Off Your Lunch?
17 Aug 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Are you the kind of person who can’t help taking a picture of your food before you eat it? Do you search out Facebook foods, Twitter tips and Instag...
Stockpiles? What Stockpiles?
10 Aug 2017
Contributed by Lukas
We’re on the hunt for the world’s biggest stashes of food. Can the food system handle a big shock, or is it time to stock up on your supplies? In ...
What Will You Eat if the Apocalypse Comes?
03 Aug 2017
Contributed by Lukas
How long would your food supply last if you were unable to buy any food? Are you prepared for the worst is a hurricane hits, the floodwaters rise or t...
Have We Cracked the Nut Problem?
27 Jul 2017
Contributed by Lukas
It’s a food problem that can prove fatal - and we might be about to crack it. The first licensed medicines to treat peanut allergy are close to bein...
Health lessons with the Hadza
20 Jul 2017
Contributed by Lukas
We're continuing our adventures in east Africa with the Hadza – a skilled tribe of hunter gatherers who could be the last remaining link to our anci...
Hunting with the Hadza
13 Jul 2017
Contributed by Lukas
This week we’re going to be telling what might be the oldest food story in the world.The Hadza of Tanzania, east Africa, are one of the last remaini...
Fortification: Too Much of a Good thing?
06 Jul 2017
Contributed by Lukas
What if we told you something had been added to your food that could affect your health? You can't see it, you won’t taste it, and you might not hav...
The Unlikely Power of Cookbooks
29 Jun 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Even if you’ve never picked up a book of recipes - cookbooks will have had a huge influence on how you live. What may appear to be mere collections ...
Food Secrets of Centenarians
22 Jun 2017
Contributed by Lukas
People who have lived into their hundreds explain their food experiences and philosophies, to help us explore relationship between food and longevity....
What Time is Dinner?
15 Jun 2017
Contributed by Lukas
How social class has dictated when we eat. From Ancient Greece to New York hipsters, what has determined our mealtimes in the past and who wants them ...
Much Ado About Michelin
08 Jun 2017
Contributed by Lukas
For many chefs winning a Michelin star, or two or three, is often considered the pinnacle of their career. It could put them on the path to money and ...
Talking Rot
01 Jun 2017
Contributed by Lukas
If you found some mould on a slice of bread - would you eat it, cut it off, or throw the loaf away? What exactly is that green fur anyway?In this epis...
Hands Off My Food!
25 May 2017
Contributed by Lukas
When it comes to aspects of cultural life being shared, adopted or borrowed in an increasingly globalised world - where more so than food? But should ...
The Real Value of a Cup of Tea
22 May 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Coffee addict Dan Saladino sets out to understand what a cup of tea is really worth. Do we pay enough?In south west India, food writer Vanessa Kimbell...
Foodunnit?
11 May 2017
Contributed by Lukas
A forensic look at food and its crime-solving powers.We start with one of the most challenging cases London’s murder squad has ever faced. The BBC’...
I Don't Cook
04 May 2017
Contributed by Lukas
In the antithesis of a cookery programme, we meet people from around the world who can’t, don’t or won’t cook. Cooking from scratch will bring u...
The Fish Japan Ate
27 Apr 2017
Contributed by Lukas
The wild bluefin tuna is being eaten to extinction, but this hasn’t curbed the global appetite for this valuable fish in Japan and across the globe....
Liberte, Egalite, Gastronomie?
20 Apr 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Ahead of the French national elections, we’re looking at the food and politics of a country that for many is the epicentre of gastronomic excellence...
Little Kitchen of Horrors
13 Apr 2017
Contributed by Lukas
** The content in this week’s show requires a fairly strong stomach. So if you’ve got children with you, or you’re a bit squeamish yourself, bes...
Orthorexia Nervosa: When 'Healthy' Food Becomes Harmful
06 Apr 2017
Contributed by Lukas
When does a ‘healthy diet’ become unhealthy? This week the Food Chain looks at Orthorexia Nervosa - an unofficial term used to describe an eating...
Hey, Hey We're The Food Chain
30 Mar 2017
Contributed by Lukas
You can now listen to Food Chain starting on Thursdays, so to welcome new listeners, we’re offering up some of the best bits of our award-winning pr...
One Potato More
25 Mar 2017
Contributed by Lukas
In our second and final episode on the humble spud, we meet the people who see the global economic future as being potato powered. The potato is the w...
Poor Old Potato
18 Mar 2017
Contributed by Lukas
In its time, the potato has been called the root of filth, misery and obesity - but is it fair to call it the 'food of the poor'? In the first episod...
The Food We Breathe
11 Mar 2017
Contributed by Lukas
As part of the BBC wide #SoICanBreathe season, The Food Chain explores how the ways we grow and cook our food can affect how we breathe. From the indo...
McAsia?
03 Mar 2017
Contributed by Lukas
What can fast food tell us about the changing global economy? This week Karishma Vaswani, the BBC's Asia Business correspondent, takes a closer look a...
Post-Truth Food
25 Feb 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Remember the great bacon shortage of 2012? No? What about the one earlier this year? Still no? Well maybe that’s because they didn’t happen.The Ox...
Wheelchair Fajitas and Talking Scales
18 Feb 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Food is how we structure everyday life. For some people living with disabilities, the smallest of culinary tasks can be very frustrating and difficult...
The Plankton Problem
11 Feb 2017
Contributed by Lukas
You've swallowed many of them throughout your life without realising, and some look like aliens: we look at plankton, the sea's smallest living creatu...
Got Gumbo?
04 Feb 2017
Contributed by Lukas
What can one single dish tell you about America's history? One particular bowl of soup gives us an insight about the future of cultures that convene a...
Should You Drink Your Food?
21 Jan 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Why won't our brains let us feel full on liquid food? After all, we spent the first months of our lives living on milk alone.We talk to a man who live...
Of Maize and Men: Unpicked
14 Jan 2017
Contributed by Lukas
This week we continue the story of the most abundant crop on earth. Last week we established its position as the king of the crops. This time we ask: ...
Of Maize and Men: The Rise
07 Jan 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Corn is everywhere, in much of our food, drink and even packaging.It has found its way, in a myriad of guises, into thousands of products and has come...
Food Chain: The Quiz
31 Dec 2016
Contributed by Lukas
Have you ever wondered how many litres of water it takes to make one egg, or what links a 19th-Century electrician to modern pet food? Whose job was i...
Food Chain: The Musical
24 Dec 2016
Contributed by Lukas
What can our music tell us about our culinary and cultural heritage?We explore the ways songs about planting, growing, milking and cooking reflect our...
Survival Stories: ‘We Ate Spiders, Flies and Worms’
17 Dec 2016
Contributed by Lukas
Lost in a barren and unforgiving part of Turkey, and forced to hide for days in a cave to get away from torrential rain and floods, a group of student...
Hunger in the Rich World
10 Dec 2016
Contributed by Lukas
Why do people struggle to feed themselves in wealthy societies? Food banks - depositories of donated and excess food where the neediest can collect in...
The Hidden Cost of a Home-Cooked Meal
03 Dec 2016
Contributed by Lukas
Who does the cooking in your house? In many cultures the responsibility for preparing meals at home traditionally falls to women. But as more women jo...
Full English Brexit
26 Nov 2016
Contributed by Lukas
Twentieth century British playwright and novelist Somerset Maugham said that to eat well in Britain, you should eat breakfast thrice daily. And, nothi...
Burnt
19 Nov 2016
Contributed by Lukas
From the golden crust on a perfectly-baked loaf, to a crispy, crunchy potato chip - do you ever wonder why food that's been browned or charred, can sm...
In Search of Lost Foods
12 Nov 2016
Contributed by Lukas
What happens to a food when people stop eating it? Most of the food we eat today comes from a handful of crops, but before we became a globalised soci...
Plate of the Union
05 Nov 2016
Contributed by Lukas
Can you tell a Democrat by their salad? A Republican by their hamburger? An Independent by their coffee? With the outcome of the US presidential elect...
Dining with the Dead
29 Oct 2016
Contributed by Lukas
Food is a fundamental part of life’s biggest celebrations, from birthdays and weddings to religious feasts. It’s also a key part of death. This we...
Vegan Babies: Should You Restrict Your Child’s Diet?
22 Oct 2016
Contributed by Lukas
Are parents wrong to impose their own restrictive diets on their children? An Italian MP wants to jail parents who choose vegan or other “reckless”...
Should We All Be Vegans?
15 Oct 2016
Contributed by Lukas
What would happen if we all became vegans? Veganism – cutting out animal products from your diet, and often your wardrobe – suddenly seems more ma...
Stories from Syria
08 Oct 2016
Contributed by Lukas
How do people living through the Syrian conflict find food? The BBC’S Dan Saladino explores what’s happening in Syria, where food is often used as...
The Olympics of Chinese Food
01 Oct 2016
Contributed by Lukas
The world's top names in Chinese cuisine meet once every four years in a prestigious and gruelling cooking contest to determine which of them is the v...
Pestatarians
24 Sep 2016
Contributed by Lukas
Invasive species or pests are animals that end up in an ecosystem that is not their natural home. They pose a huge environmental risk to local ecosyst...
The New Sushi
17 Sep 2016
Contributed by Lukas
It's widely agreed that bugs could be a sustainable source of protein for humans in the future, but large-scale production is very labour intensive. A...
Food on the Open Road
10 Sep 2016
Contributed by Lukas
It could be argued that our global economy is in some ways, driven by drivers. That is, long-haul truckers who carry goods from one side of a country ...
Big Beer
02 Sep 2016
Contributed by Lukas
Next month, the world’s current largest beer maker, AB InBev is expected to take over the world’s second largest beer maker, SABMiller. If the pla...
Naturally Misleading?
27 Aug 2016
Contributed by Lukas
What is 'natural' food and is it better for us? We explore the language of food labelling. Does a product bearing the word 'natural' on its label make...
Survival Stories: Fish bacon for breakfast
20 Aug 2016
Contributed by Lukas
Our second episode of Survival Stories further explores our relationship with food in the most extreme circumstances. What choices do we make about wh...
Survival Stories: Lost in the Desert
13 Aug 2016
Contributed by Lukas
What happens when your food choices are determined by nothing but the environment around you and your own resolve? The Food Chain follows the story o...
Fertile Food
06 Aug 2016
Contributed by Lukas
How much could your diet affect your ability to have a child? Throughout history, harvest and the abundance of food have been associated with the crea...
Food on the Move: What We Want, When We Want It
30 Jul 2016
Contributed by Lukas
Fruit in the summer, grain in the autumn - our diets once consisted of eating what was around us and what was in season. But we now live in a global f...
Inside the Kitchens of Power
26 Jul 2016
Contributed by Lukas
Why is cheese essential when the German Chancellor comes for dinner? For millennia, international relations have been massaged by the chefs working in...
Beauty from Within?
16 Jul 2016
Contributed by Lukas
This week we're looking at what happens when the worlds of food and beauty collide. The BBC's Emily Thomas explores how the market for nutricosmetics ...
Can Cheese Help Save an Economy?
09 Jul 2016
Contributed by Lukas
The BBC’s Dan Saladino takes a journey on a newly built road through the remote mountains of the country’s north in search of a slice of mishavin ...
Plough Your Own Furrow?
02 Jul 2016
Contributed by Lukas
The British people have voted to quit the European Union. That would leave the UK once again in charge of its own agricultural and fisheries policy –...
Mind your Manners
25 Jun 2016
Contributed by Lukas
It's not what you eat, but the way that you eat it on this week's The Food Chain. As people are exposed to cuisines from all over the world, we ask if...
Seeds, Syrup and Subversion
18 Jun 2016
Contributed by Lukas
A rebel grandmother faces losing her livelihood after smuggling maple syrup in Canada, a Vermont gardener stocks fridges full of seeds, an artist plan...
Faster Food
11 Jun 2016
Contributed by Lukas
As the Olympic torch edges closer to Rio, we explore how food can make you a better athlete. We start in Brazil where we meet the man responsible for ...
Extreme Farming
04 Jun 2016
Contributed by Lukas
How has one of the world’s smallest countries become one of its biggest food producers? This week we visit a tiny nation responsible for the second ...
Is Junk Food the New Smoking?
28 May 2016
Contributed by Lukas
We know that both smoking and obesity can contribute to an early death. In fact health professionals are now telling us that junk food is even worse t...
Fish Fight
21 May 2016
Contributed by Lukas
Fish are a vital source of protein around the world, but there are ever more fishermen chasing ever fewer fish. Most wild fisheries are at, or near, b...
A Dog's Dinner?
14 May 2016
Contributed by Lukas
Pet food is a global multi-billion dollar industry, but does it cater more to us humans than our four-legged friends? We swap the dinner plate for the...
Disaster Food: Feeding a Country in Crisis
07 May 2016
Contributed by Lukas
How does a country feed itself following an earthquake, flood or drought? The Food Chain looks at the role of food in disaster relief - from the emerg...
Bottled Water: Do We Really Need It?
30 Apr 2016
Contributed by Lukas
It has been described as the ultimate marketing trick, but the allure of bottled water is something more and more people are swallowing. With global s...
Animals on Antibiotics: Could Pigs on Pills Make us Ill?
16 Apr 2016
Contributed by Lukas
The animals we eat consume more than 60% of the world’s antibiotics - but not always because they are sick. This week, the Food Chain explores the c...
Food Chain Late Night
09 Apr 2016
Contributed by Lukas
As part of the BBC’s Identity season we meet the people who feed us after hours, following the characters and cuisines that only come out after dark...
Front of House
02 Apr 2016
Contributed by Lukas
What’s life like for a career waiter at the top of their game? The Food Chain looks at the business of serving and pleasing the ever-fickle customer...
Food and Nostalgia
26 Mar 2016
Contributed by Lukas
Manuela Saragosa explores the power food has to evoke memory and how memory impacts the food we eat. Jamie Oliver’s mentor – Italian chef Gennaro ...
Is Convenience Killing Us?
19 Mar 2016
Contributed by Lukas
Food that has been processed, packaged, flavoured and often pre-cooked for us has increasingly become a normal part of everyday life around the globe....
Food Waste: How Low Can it Go?
12 Mar 2016
Contributed by Lukas
This week, the Food Chain delves deep into food waste: a global problem of epic proportions that is costing one in every three of the world's calories...