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The food and science series that travels the world to explore the industry secrets behind our favourite produce, industry secrets, and how foods are really made.
2012
Kate Quilton travels to Swaziland to find out how they get tinned grapefruit so perfect, and, in Finland, Matt Tebbutt discovers exactly what the bacteria are in Probiotics.
Kate and Matt investigate the wax on our lemons in Spain and Thailand, and Matt gets the real story behind formed ham here in the UK.
This episode explores how prawns are intensively farmed and discovers why there are often so few wild mushrooms in our wild mushroom soups. Kate flies to Thailand - the world's biggest producer of farmed prawns - to get a sense of the scale of the industry, and Matt meets a professional wild mushroom forager in the woods of West Sussex.
This episode explores the difference between green and black olives, and why not everything that goes into beer processing is listed in the ingredients. Matt travels to South Africa to visit one of the country's largest olive orchards in the Western Cape, where he discovers that black olives are just riper green olives, but that both need a year's soaking in brine to make them edible. In Spain, Kate is shown how mass production factories make super black olives found in pizza and salads. And Matt heads to a small brewery near Belfast to discover if it really is just water, hops, barley and wheat in beer.
The team head to Thailand to find out what seafood goes into seafood sticks, and then discover how some British wine is really made... in Spain. In a seafood stick factory in Thailand Kate sees some incredible production techniques and giant frozen blocks of fish called surimi. Confusingly, there are two types of domestically produced wines: British and English. British wine is much cheaper, so what's the difference?
Kate Quilton heads to Spain to find out how pure squeezed, not-from-concentrate orange juice is really made, and how 'fresh' it is. The team then travel around the UK to find out what is used to replace the fat in low-fat mayonnaise, and discover it's a bacteria that usually grows on rotting cabbages.
Kate Quilton travels to Holland to find out how manufacturers prevent tomatoes in packaged sandwiches from going soggy, and the team investigates the production of strawberry-flavoured food. Matt Tebbutt and Rachel Edwards-Stuart try to make yoghurt with the average amount of the fruit used in supermarket-own brands - 10 per cent - but the results are disappointing, while Martin Dickie visits the Nestle Rowntree factory to learn about the concentrated strawberry flavour used in their pastilles.
Matt Tebbutt travels to Sweden to learn how a food company uses liquid smoke to flavour sausages, a method that is cheaper and quicker and enables flavours to be tailored more effectively. The Food Standards Agency requires that ice-cream needs to contain milk protein and any kind of fat - vegetable being the one most commonly used. Martin Dickie and James Watt head to Brighton beach with an old-fashioned bicycle adorned with banners saying `Ice Vegetable Oil'. What will the public make of this product?
2014
Jimmy discovers that there's more to traditionally-matured cheese than meets the eye, thanks to a microorganism that helps give the likes of pecorino their distinctive hard rinds
Jimmy Doherty finds out why Iceland supplies most of our cod. Kate Quilton investigates whether the banana's days are numbered. And Matt Tebbutt discovers why popcorn doesn't fill you up.
Kate visits France to find out if a glass of red wine a day keeps the doctor away. Matt lifts the lid on skimmed milk. How do dairy farmers get exactly the right amount of fat in every pint of milk?
Jimmy investigates whether manuka honey has any medicinal properties. Kate discovers why some varieties of caviar are so much cheaper than others. And Matt visits a Scottish distillery.
Jimmy gives supermarket fish a sniff to discover how fresh the stock really is. Kate investigates how asparagus can be grown all year round in one of the driest places on earth - the Ica Valley, Peru.
Kate Quilton
Self - Presenter
Matt Tebbutt
Self - Presenter
2019
Jimmy Doherty finds out how Sri Lanka is coping with a looming coconut shortage, while Kate Quilton discovers whether compostables could be the answer to worldwide plastic pollution problem, and Matt Tebbutt is in Paris to learn why the macaron has such a hefty price tag.
Kate Quilton learns about a potentially life-saving property of discarded shrimp shells and Matt Tebbutt investigates why people cannot seem to get enough of salted caramel. Plus, Jimmy Doherty explores the price differences between fresh and frozen…
Kate uncovers something surprising about small hens' eggs. Plus: why can't you eat supermarket burgers pink? And where do the bubbles in beer come from?
How do you milk a camel? Kate investigates, and explores camel milk's rising popularity. How does supermarket fresh pasta last so long? And should we buy supermarkets' standard products or value ones?
2018
Can eating too many poppy seeds make you fail a drugs test? Kate learns the consequences of tipping cooking oil down the drain. Plus: ancient grain bread.
Kate investigates the worrying rise in peanut allergies. Matt traces the British blackcurrant from the field to the Ribena factory. Jimmy's on the trail of a surprising food fraud: oregano.
Is a parasite hiding in your sushi? Can M&S really trace all their beef burgers back to the cow? Plus: Matt investigates concerns about naturally-occurring arsenic in baby rice products.
Kate discovers how the way that you drink tea can affect its taste. Matt investigates the difference between bubble gum and chewing gum, and discovers an unusual use for used gum. Plus: lentils.
Why is there jelly in our pork pies and how does it get there? What in nature provides the natural bright blue dye in our sweets? And why is soft shell crab such a delicacy?
Jimmy discovers why caviar is so expensive. Kate reveals how a malty unsung hero is made. Plus: muesli.
Kate checks out a space-age high-speed German pickling machine. How do you make a kipper, and why don't we eat them for breakfast any more? And rice cakes are made from brown rice. Why are they white?
What gives fizzy sweets their fizz, and can you harness their explosive power in a rocket? One in five of us lack vitamin D; can mushrooms help? And is raw kale bad for you?
Are baked beans baked? If stinky cheese smells so bad why does it taste so good? And Matt gets the skinny on diet champagne.
2021
Helen Lawal heads to one of the world's biggest coffee factories to find out how instant cappuccinos get their froth. Matt Tebbutt is in Naples to discover why most tinned tomatoes come from Italy, while Kate Quilton embarks on a panettone odyssey across Europe to learn how the fluffy cake lasts so long.
Andi takes an eye-watering trip to an onion factory. Plus: how do raspberries get from the field to our fridges without turning to mush? And why is Thai banana blossom shaking up fish and chips?
Jimmy investigates turmeric in India and Kate finds out how much milk is in chocolate, while Andi draws the short straw and investigates asparagus and pungent pee problems.
More fascinating food facts from around the world, including the role of candy floss in an astonishing food revolution in the US. Plus: crayfish trapping, and brie.
Jimmy finds microplastics in some of our most popular soft drinks. Kate Quilton tackles nettles. And Amanda Byram asks why do rhubarb and custard go so well together?
The team lift the lid on al fresco food. Does using marinades or dry rubs make a difference to your meat? Plus: halloumi, fruit salad, edible charcoal and more.
Amanda Byram is plunged into darkness in the rhubarb triangle. How much sugar is in milkshakes? And Matt Tebbutt investigates sunflower seeds.
2013
The team ask: is mouldy bread safe to eat? Kate's on the trail of the chicken that goes into a Kiev. And Matt is puzzled: how can supermarkets sell English summer apples in the middle of winter?
Jimmy Doherty asks: what exactly is in a doner kebab? Meanwhile, Kate Quilton wants to find out the safest way of eating oysters. And finally, Matt Tebbutt learns about the amazing ingredient that comes in every bottle of that classic English tipple gin.
The team ask: Why are cashew nuts never on the supermarket shelf in their shells? What exactly is scampi? Does expensive salt taste different to cheap salt?
Jimmy, Kate and Matt ask how much cow is in a beef stock cube, how cornflakes are made, and what exactly processed cheese is.
How is caffeine removed from coffee? What puts the chew into chewing gum? How are the calories counted in diet bread?
Can hot chilies injure you? What's the difference between outdoor-bred and outdoor-reared pork? And what's bugging Jimmy about red food dye?
Does a happy chicken lay a tastier egg? How do the supermarkets get avocados 'ripe and ready'? And why does one type of balsamic vinegar cost 100 times more than another?
Are fresh sardines better for us than tinned sardines? How much is known about the ducks we consume? And, when it comes to pasta, is fresh best?
Streaming availability information not available
2015
Is there any goodness left in tinned tomatoes? What part of a pig makes sweets chewy? And how do prebiotics work?
Are there wasps in fresh figs? Why is ostrich meat red? And Kate's mission to give up added sugar reveals some shocking truths.
Why is halloumi cheese a subject of great debate? Is there a lethal poison lurking in apple cores? And what lives inside every sourdough loaf?
Jimmy visits Bulgaria to find out why rose oil is considered liquid gold. Kate tackles pink pork; is it safe to eat? Matt gets the inside story on oven bags.
Jimmy examines the impact 'healthy' snacks can have on children's teeth. Kate finds out what makes cheap wine taste good, and Matt asks why good garlic gives us bad breath.
Jimmy finds out why pine nuts are so expensive. Kate travels to the Amazon rainforest to discover what gives Red Leicester cheese its colour. And Matt reveals how glacé cherries are made.
Jimmy learns about a potentially devastating Greek yoghurt by-product. Kate uncovers the secrets of saffron, and Matt finds out why you can't eat kidney beans raw.
What do Italians think of the extra-virgin olive oil sold in our supermarkets? Does drinking hot milk help you sleep? How wild is wild boar? And how much truffle is in truffle oil?
Jimmy finds out what whitebait actually is and why it's not available in most supermarkets. Kate visits a cattle farm in America that supersizes cows and asks if what our meat eats matters.
Jimmy investigates how good omega3 supplements are. Kate asks why Iberico ham is so expensive. Matt finds out what makes chocolate white.
Jimmy investigates mineral water and whether tap water has really been through seven people, while Kate finds out what the vegetable is in vegetable oil.
Nadiya's British Food Adventure
2017
Penelope Keith's Coastal Villages
2017
Penelope Keith's Hidden Villages
2014
The Ride London to Beijing
2018
Planet Chef
2018
Creedon's Wild Atlantic Way
2015
Robbie Coltrane: B-Road Britain
2007
Rick Stein's German Bite
2013
Africa from Above
2022
Walk Expedition
2005
2014
Jimmy wants to know why so much of the bacon in supermarkets comes from Denmark. Kate meets mozzarella makers in Italy. What is the liquid that mozzarella balls are bobbing in?
Kate wants to know where liquorice comes from. She's not a fan, but will she be converted once she's seen the experts in Calabria, Italy turn bitter-tasting liquorice roots into sweet treats?
Jimmy Doherty explores how blood is becoming trendy in gastronomy, including blood meringues. Kate Quilton asks why Spanish melons are so juicy, and Matt Edwards finds out how rock is made.
Jimmy finds out how food producers are using seaweed to reduce their salt content. Jellied eel sales are booming, but where do the eels come from? And why does tonic water glow in UV light?
Matt wants to know how it's possible for British onions to be sold in supermarkets year-round. The answer lies not in our soil, but in an aircraft hangar. Plus: is pricey aged steak worth the wait?
Jimmy wants to know what gives stout its smooth texture. Kate's on the trail of the ultimate superfood. And why is English mustard hot while the Dijon variety is relatively cool?
2015
Are alarming headlines about MSG justified? Jimmy visits a huge factory to find out. Kate investigates rumours that the Brazil nuts in UK supermarkets are all radioactive. Plus: elderflower cordial.
Jimmy investigates the effects of vitamin D deficiency. Kate wants to know how supermarkets can sell wagyu beef, cheaply. And Matt heads to Switzerland to ask why there are holes in Swiss cheese.
Jimmy heads to Spain to meet an entrepreneur farming blue fin tuna. Kate investigates why ice cream can go gritty, and Matt explores the difference between premium and budget peas.
Jimmy investigates whether it's worth splashing out on expensive vodka, Kate finds out how coffee beans are turned into instant granules, and Matt checks out Wensleydale cheese.
Why do we have to pay for pistachios that we can't crack open and eat? Are traditional rolled oats better for us than quick-cook porridge? Plus: the trouble with draught Prosecco.
Jimmy examines how far farmers go to produce perfect veg for supermarkets. In America, Kate discovers that wine's getting stronger. Matt finds out which biscuit's best for dunking.
Kate discovers how scientists are using pineapple enzymes to help burns victims. How do the bubbles get into chocolate bars? And should we never eat mussels when there's an 'r' in the month?
Do prunes really keep us regular? How much sugar is in cherry tomatoes, and are supermarkets labelling them correctly? And can a Dutch pioneer grow veg using sea water?
Jimmy explores new ways to get crabs to come out of their shell. Kate finds out how to get children to eat their greens. And how are gummy sweets made? Matt investigates.
The team look back at some favourite investigations. Why is that liquid in packets of mozzarella? Why do we import venison when there are so many British deer? Why shouldn't we eat raw bean sprouts?
2017
Jimmy examines how plastic packaging is polluting the food chain with potentially global implications. Is it really possible to predict if you'll love or hate Marmite? Matt runs across a custard pond.
How much orange is in orange squash? Why's maple syrup so expensive? And what's with all those little holes on biscuits?
Jimmy learns about the battle against the hidden nuisance that leads to corked wine. Plus: the surprising difference between runny and set honey. And okra.
What gives some whisky its smoky flavour? Why doesn't halloumi melt? And how do you get corn off the cob?
2018
How do those chunks in American ice cream stay crispy? Why have olive oil prices been going up? Why are Bloody Marys so popular on planes and why does airline food taste so different at ground level?
How do crumpets get filled with holes? How come baby food has such a long shelf-life? And why's mascarpone more expensive that other soft cheeses?
Jimmy finds out how shredded wheat's made. Matt discovers that lard can be healthier than butter. Dr Helen visits Poland to learn the trick to concentrating apple juice.
Jimmy hunts for the mother of all lagers. Plus: can changing the shape of food help our children eat their vegetables? And why are blueberries coated in a strange cloudy wax?
Why are some vanilla ice creams more expensive than others? Are baby carrots really babies? And how can coffees have lots of flavours when they use just two types of coffee beans?
Was Edam once used as cannonballs? What's that white powdery stuff that sometimes forms on chocolate? And can bedtime teas really help us sleep?
2016
Matt makes a surprising discovery about haggis. Jimmy wants to know if you can put dishwasher salt on your chips. And why do chicks have their beaks trimmed?
Are ready meals really twice as big as they were in the 1950s? How do green soy beans become creamy white tofu? And can artificially inseminating cows make milk easier to digest?
Could bananas be used to fight viruses including HIV and influenza? Have Dutch scientists created a meat substitute that tastes of meat? And what are those green bits on crisps?
Why is almond butter more expensive than other nutty spreads? How is wine turned into fortified wine? And why does chopping onions make you cry?
2016
What exactly is processed meat, and is a fresh British banger healthier than a frankfurter? Jimmy investigates dates. And Matt meets a man who has 250 varieties of apple on his tree.
Are crisp flavours made of real cheese and onion or cooked up in a lab? Matt investigates. Meanwhile, Kate learns the secrets of pepper, and Jimmy finds out about different types of yeast.
Why does marmalade taste bitter when it's made of sugar and oranges? Which fish are fully sustainable? And are the British public up for goat meat?
Jimmy joins the battle between the bell pepper and the Mediterranean fruit fly. Matt visits an amazing mobile leek factory. And how can you tell how much manuka is in your manuka honey?
Is coconut oil really healthier than other oils? Can absinthe lead to hallucinations and madness? And what do artichoke hearts have in common with strange African berries?
2021
The team explores how the UK food industry is meeting the challenges of climate change - from cucumber wrapping and pumpkins at Halloween to beef production and meat substitutes.
How did sticky rice get its name? Can cream crackers help with weight management? And is cabbage really a saviour for breastfeeding mums?
Why does pasta come in so many different shapes? How much butter is in buttermilk? And how do ready meals get their spice rating?
The gang unwrap festive facts. What's the secret to perfect stollen? Why red cabbage at Christmas? How long does an open bottle of port stay drinkable? Plus, an alternative to traditional pigs in blankets.
A look back at some favourite vegetarian investigations, from tasty meat-free burgers to edible seaweed, jackfruit, grow-your-own gardening tips, and the surprising truth about baby carrots.
2023
Why is the shelf life for a vegetable stir-fry mix so short? What's the secret to making perfect layers in a rocket ice lolly? And in Portugal, Kate investigates piri-piri.
Briony May Williams finds out why some radishes are hot. Andi Oliver asks why pre-made sandwiches contain mayonnaise. And Kate Quilton discovers how truffles are grown.
Matt Tebbutt is in Spain learning why some oranges are so hard to peel, while Jimmy Doherty heads to Thailand to discover why coriander is the herb of choice for some, but for others it seems to taste like soap. Briony Williams finds herself in a bit of a jam as she interrogates an important kitchen conundrum - why dropped toast always lands the wrong side down
More fun facts about our food, including: why some fruits are hairier than others, the difference between single and double cream, and the science of why canned food keeps for so long.
How come schnapps is always clear even though it's made from colourful fruits? Why do supermarkets carry so many of the same herbs? Plus: soft and crusty bread rolls compared.
2022
The gang find out how much meat is in your sausage and where orange wine gets its colour. And Amanda Byram tests a high-tech solution for the perfect slice of millionaire's shortbread.
Recipe boxes are increasingly popular - but are they good value? Does it matter what kind of water you drink? And Jimmy Doherty reveals the best way to remove the smell of fish.
The team uncork the mystery of wine and hangovers. Amanda Byram explores peas and the plastic pollution problem. And why doesn’t shop-bought grated cheese stick together?
How many apples are there in a can of cider? How does a humble vegetable become trademarked? And is the white stuff on salami something we should be talking about?
The gang find out what exactly locust bean gum is. Also, why is strawberry juice so elusive at the supermarket? And in the Orkney Islands, Matt uncovers some very special residents.
In Israel, Kate unearths icing sugar's secret ingredient. Jimmy grapples with a team of wrestlers who swear by a mysterious yoghurt called skyr. And Matt deep-dives for edible seaweed.
2017
Why's clotted cream yellow? Could squid and chips replace fish and chips as our national dish? And where do multivitamins come from?
Bergamot provides flavour in Jimmy's Earl Grey tea, but what exactly is it? How does instant tea match up against tea bags? Kate visits a very colourful jelly bean factory. Plus: pork scratchings.
How much prawn's in a prawn cracker? What's in low-salt food instead of salt? Plus: the new high-tech method for keeping fresh herbs alive for longer. And a basil plant that's half tree.
Kate meets a scientist who hopes his genetically engineered goats' milk could save 500,000 lives a year. Is the fish we're buying really what we think it is? And what exactly is spreadable butter?
In this Food Unwrapped diet special, Jimmy Doherty, Kate Quilton, Matt Tebbutt and guest presenter Kiran Jethwa cross the globe to unearth the very latest dietary trends and scientific advances in the world of weight loss. In Los Angeles, home of the body beautiful, Kate investigates reports that caffeine could be a powerful secret weapon in the battle of the bulge. Could a double espresso really help us burn extra calories, even after we finish exercising? Kate meets one of California's leading sports scientists to find out. Jimmy visits Belgium on the trail of the dieter's holy grail: a chocolate that could be good for you. The secret? It's a probiotic chocolate bar, packed with bacteria that are supposed to keep us healthy and even help us stay slim. But how does probiotic chocolate stack up against other gut-friendly foods such as sauerkraut or yoghurt?
Can high-tech surveillance save our salmon? How on earth can you barbecue a kangaroo? Plus: the secrets behind the annual race to get seasonal asparagus into supermarkets.
2016
At a green bean plantation in Kenya, Jimmy learns how they grow the beans so straight for the supermarkets, and finds out what happens to the beans that don't make the grade. He also discovers the remarkable lengths that the farmers go to to stop the local wildlife destroying their valuable crop. At a Norwegian scallop farm, Matt braves the icy waters of the North Sea to join the divers harvesting scallops by hand from the sea bed. This sustainable farming method could be a model for the rest of Europe, but it needs a constant source of baby scallops, so Matt gets hands-on in the hatchery as he learns how to encourage a scallop to procreate. And Kate tries to unravel a mystery about Cornwall's most famous local delicacy: what exactly goes into a Cornish Pasty, swede or turnip?
Kate visits Israel to unearth the mystery ingredient that makes icing sugar so light, fluffy and powdery. Her journey takes her via a dip in the Dead Sea to an enormous phosphate mine in the desert, where all is revealed. In Italy, Jimmy investigates the difference between risotto rice and long grain rice. An early morning trip to a bustling rice auction and a visit to a flooded rice field shed some light. Back in the UK, Jimmy challenges renowned Italian chef Gennaro Contaldo to knock up a risotto using long grain rice; can it be done? And where do pre-packed sandwiches' crusts go? Matt discovers that one sandwich maker has come up with an innovative - and surprising - way of putting the waste bread to good use
Jimmy Doherty, Kate Quilton and Matt Tebbutt reveal more unusual, intriguing and surprising secrets behind the food we eat. Matt heads to Italy to find out how supermarkets can sell pesto at an affordable price when the traditional ingredients are expensive. He visits one of Europe's biggest pesto producers and takes a remarkable trip to the bottom of the Mediterranean Sea, where basil is being grown in an extraordinary underwater farm. Jimmy wants to know why so many cockles in our supermarkets come from abroad, when he always thought of them as a quintessentially British staple. He visits Wales and the Wash, where two very different stories unfold, and witnesses a remarkable method of cockle gathering that has to be seen to be believed. And why do marshmallows go so crispy and melty at the same time over the campfire? Kate takes a colourful trip around Europe's largest marshmallow factory to find out.
Jimmy Doherty investigates craft beer, meeting a couple who gave up jobs in the NHS to pursue their dream lifestyle of brewing and selling ale. Kate Quilton goes in search of the perfect tomato and finds herself in the middle of the world's biggest food fight at a festival in Valencia, while Matt Tebbutt examines why tinned anchovies taste salty when fresh ones don't, visiting a processing plant to find out.
Jimmy Doherty visits the largest wholesale food market in the world in Paris and discovers why British cheese sales are soaring across Europe. Matt Tebbutt travels to one of the largest ham producers in Italy and meets a pig farmer who tells him about a delicate problem that all pork producers face, while Kate Quilton investigates why some limes are so much juicier than others.
Jimmy Doherty looks into skyr, a mysterious yoghurt-like product that claims to be entirely fat-free, but has a surprisingly creamy texture, while Kate Quilton heads to one of the busiest oyster hatcheries in France, where she witnesses the amazing science that goes into providing oysters year-round. Plus, Matt Tebbutt wants to know if the dried strawberries in his cereal are real or just a clever imitation.
In Italy, Jimmy looks into why Parmesan costs up to twice as much as supermarket Cheddar. Kate's been puzzling over paprika and travels to Hungary and Spain to find out exactly where it comes from. And Matt looks at hard-boiled eggs - it can be fiddly enough getting the shell off in the comfort of your own kitchen, so how do the big players manage it now that hard-boiled eggs are popping up everywhere in supermarkets?
Jimmy's off to Israel on the trail of an elusive fruit - the fresh date. If raisins are dried grapes and prunes are dried plums, then what exactly are dates? Jimmy's search for the answer takes him to a vast water purification plant, where they harness the raw sewage of Tel Aviv to turn barren desert into fertile farmland. Kate flies to California to investigate why almond butter is more expensive than other nutty spreads, and discovers a combination of extreme weather and global economics have made the price of almonds go completely nuts. And Matt's in Scotland, investigating haggis. He makes a surprising discovery about the dish's true origins - and then faces the nerve-shredding ordeal of delivering some highly unwelcome news to an unsuspecting audience.
Jimmy takes to the skies above Israel to join the battle to protect the bell pepper crop from the Mediterranean fruit fly, but is amazed to learn that it's not insecticide that he's helping to spread across the desert. Can you put dishwasher salt on your chips? Jimmy visits an extraordinary underground salt mine in Sicily, with a vast network of tunnels leading to a subterranean salt processing plant. Kate visits Vietnam to find out if coconut oil is any healthier than other oils. She also heads to the Amazon rainforest to investigate rumours that the Brazil nuts on UK supermarket shelves are all radioactive.
2019
Jimmy Doherty asks what offers better value: growing your own fruit and veg or buying from the supermarket? Plus, investigating the illegal trafficking of eels, and ginger beer.
The team investigate how supermarkets get the iced writing so perfect on birthday cakes, the popularity of the soy bean, and the growing trend for hemp-based food products.
Some favourite investigations as Jimmy Doherty looks at how our national dish could become squid and chips, Kate Quilton reports on kangaroo meat, and Matt Tebbutt looks at pesto.
Kate and Helen explore vanilla, while in the Netherlands Matt explores the myth that Edam balls were once used as emergency cannon balls!
Favourite investigations. Kate Quilton visits McVitie's to ask why many biscuits have little holes all over them. Jimmy Doherty finds out how corks are made for wine bottles.
Favourite investigations. Jimmy Doherty visits Europe's biggest brewery. Kate Quilton challenges Matt Tebbutt to make crumpets. And Matt discovers why maple syrup is so expensive.
2018
Kate Quilton looks into Britain's plastic crisis while Jimmy Doherty and Matt Tebbutt visit South Africa on a piquanté pepper hunt.
Could a threat to British juniper berries spell the end of the gin resurgence? Plus: Kate checks out macadamia nuts in Hawaii and Matt finds out what's so bad about his double dipping habit.
In China, Matt Tebbutt helps to cultivate pearls from surprising creatures. And why does sliced ham sometimes have a weird rainbow pattern on it?
Kate meets a tech start-up who hope to feed the world by growing fish flesh in a dish. Plus: how do you make ice cubes that aren't cloudy? And why can't you put papaya in jelly?
How come some bread breaks up when it's buttered but other bread doesn't? And since the sugar tax came in, manufacturers have been adding less sugar to some products. But what are they adding instead?
Can coffee help you sober up? Kate investigates trendy drink kombucha and meets people who are turning it into clothes! And which cut of beef do thin-cut steaks come from?
2020
Jimmy heads to Paris to find out why baguettes go stale so fast. Matt checks out buffalo mozzarella in Italy. And Briony May Williams discovers the surprising secret to how mushy peas get mushed.
A trip to California reveals the secret of perfect walnuts. Plus, what makes sour sweets sour? And how do brewers make their trendy hazy beers cloudy?
How can there be so many tomatoes in a tomato ketchup bottle? When did oysters go from Victorian bar snack to luxury food? And the truth about medium vs large eggs.
2017
How do you farm crocodiles? Kate visits Australia to find out and collects crocodile eggs from under their mothers' noses. Does cod liver oil have to be cod? Why do bagels taste different from bread?
Kate finds out why rosemary is in so many food products. Jimmy meets a man whose taste buds are insured for a million pounds, in of one of the UK's biggest tea producers. Plus: seaweed.
Should we keep coffee, tomatoes, potatoes and even red wine in the fridge? Kate finds out why eucalyptus is so good at clearing our airwaves. Plus: sauerkraut.
Kate visits Rome to find out what the difference is between gelato and ice cream. Plus: are dark rum and white rum made with different ingredients? And why do mints make your mouth cold?
What are those worms doing in bottles of tequila? How do you stop carp tasting of mud? And what's the difference between tangerines, mandarins, satsumas and clementines?
2021
Matt Tebbutt visits Argentina to learn the secret of perfect popcorn, Andi Oliver looks at how the mould gets put inside blue cheese, and Jimmy Doherty is in Germany to see how electricity is used in cutting edge crisp production.
Amanda Byram learns if there's anything Scottish at all about scotch eggs, and Matt Tebbutt heads for Argentina to find out what the red liquid in a supermarket steak is if not blood. Kate Quilton reports on the dangers of feeding honey to young children.
What's the healthiest lettuce in the salad bag? Is sea salt all it's cracked up to be? And in Suffolk, Briony May Williams explores the difference between light and dark ales.
2025
In search of the secret to the bubbles in bubble tea, Kate Quilton visits a cassava farm in Kenya to get to the root of it. Jimmy Doherty is in Somerset exploring why sour milk is sneered at, though soured cream is revered. Plus, Helen Lawal reports from Portugal on canned fish.
What's the 'flower' in cauliflower wonders Kate? Plus the long life of lemon juice. And a fess-up at the brewery as the meaning of 'bottle conditioned' beer is revealed.
Kate's in Kenya wondering how do cold-brew and iced-coffee differ? News from Staffordshire on why parsnips are so sweet. And do frozen pastries taste as nice as fresh pastries?
The gang dig up more fantastic food facts. Are shallots actually small onions? There's a price query about the cost of baked potatoes. And what's wrong with sheep's milk?
2022
Matt Tebbutt is in Fray Bentos, Uruguay, looking for the 'corn' in corned beef. Also, what makes some snacks so moreish? And what's the difference between Scottish Whisky and Irish Whiskey?
Jimmy Doherty fires up the barbecue and asks why we suddenly all love brioche for our burgers? Plus, the truth about wine bottles and why some ice creams get melty and messy much faster than others.