Food Matters Live Podcast – Details, episodes & analysis

Health and wellbeing is big business, so what are the innovations the food and drink sector should be getting excited about?

We are seeing a huge investment in this area and the benefits of new ingredients are being looked at all the time.

But it is not just about following the latest trends, health and wellbeing through nutrition is also incredibly important to consumers, so what does the science say?

In this episode of the Food Matters Live podcast, recording live at our Tastes of Better event in Ascot in 2023, our expert panel off their insights into where the market might be heading.

Check out our upcoming events

Guests:
Ramsey Baghdadi, Food and Foodservice Analyst, GlobalData
Dr Caroline Childs, Associate Professor of Nutritional Sciences, University of Southampton
Dr Marie Lewis, Associate Professor of Gut Immunology and Microbiology, University of Reading
Flyin Makinwa, Senior Diet and Health Executive, Food and Drink Federation

How does a food product get from concept to market? What ingredients are needed to go from a spark of imagination to a purchase at the counter? How do new ideas get from chef to shelf?

In this episode of the Food Matters Live podcast, made in partnership with Griffith Foods, we go on that journey to learn about the challenges and opportunities of new product development (NPD).

And we actually get to experience it firsthand, as we take the podcast on the road to visit Griffith Foods at their UK headquarters in Somercotes in Derbyshire.

When it comes to NPD it is clear there is a need for both art and science. The inspiration in the kitchen, the insights to prove there is consumer demand, the evidence to support any health claims.

But at what stage are each of the component parts brought in? How do the scientific and artistic parts of the process dovetail to allow enough space for both? And how does the food industry continue to innovate in an ever-changing market?

We try to answer all of these questions in this episode by following the journey of one specific product; Griffith Foods’ concept the ‘Rainbow Nugget’.

It is a great example of how an idea is born, fine-tuned, and helps to tell the story of how new products get from chef to shelf.

Interested in finding out more? Sign up to meet Griffith Foods at the Food Matters Live Event in Ascot.

Guests:
John Feeney, Culinary and Innovation Director Europe, Griffith Foods
Trudie Varney, Research and Development Manager UK and Ireland, Griffith Foods

Looking after crops and maintaining a resilient food supply is as important now as it has ever been.

But the challenges farmers are facing are growing, from inflation to a growing population and climate change - and all with sustainable agriculture front of mind.

In this episode of the Food Matters Live podcast, made in partnership with CropLife Europe, we explore the role biopesticides could play in helping to ease some of the pressure on our food producers.

Biopesticides are pesticides produced using naturally occurring substances such as plants, microbes, or biochemicals. 

They offer opportunities for protecting crops from pests and diseases and have a more favourable toxicological safety profile compared to conventional pesticides.

In many parts of the world, they are widely used and new products can make it to market within a couple of years. In Europe, things are moving, but much more slowly.

The question is: is Europe playing catch-up?

This episode looks at how biopesticides are currently being used in Europe, how they might be used in future, and whether or not current regulations are in need of a shake-up.

Guest:
Olivier de Matos, Director General, CropLife Europe

The coronation of King Charles the Third is upon us.

But away from the street parties and the pomp at Westminster Abbey and Buckingham Palace, we are going to focus on the new King’s impact on agriculture.

As Prince of Wales, Charles was a long-time advocate for sustainable agriculture – sometimes getting in trouble for expressing his views.

Once described as a one-man NGO, he was arguably ahead of his time as a high-profile figure talking about things like climate change, pollution, and organic produce.

But why was he so focused on the environment? Just how influential has he been? And how will things change now that he is king?

Guests:
Dr Tony Juniper CBE, Environmentalist
Bob Ward, Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and the Environment

In this episode of the Food Matters Live podcast, we investigate the potential link between mental health and ultra-processed foods.

The term ‘processed food’ encompasses more than you might think. From grinding wheat to cooking an egg, processed just means altering a food in some way during preparation.

Ultra-processed foods are a bit different, usually altered beyond recognition and with plenty of additives thrown into the mix – there is not a part of a chicken called a nugget, for example.

Around the world, processed foods account for a large portion of what we eat.

According to one study, they now make up for roughly 55% of total food intake in the UK.

We have spoken on the podcast before about physical health and ultra-processed foods, but what about mental health?

Is there a link? What does the science say? And if there is a problem, how do we go about fixing it?

Guest:
Kimberley Wilson, Chartered Psychologist and Author

African Swine Fever is an incurable disease that is currently spreading between pig populations in Africa, Asia and Europe.

It affects domestic pigs and wild boar, and has a mortality rate between 95% and 100%.

There is no risk to human health, but the World Organisation for Animal Health says the disease is the biggest threat to commercial pig production the industry has ever seen.

In the UK, there have been no reported cases, and the Government says there is a medium risk of it arriving here.

So how are pig farmers and the wider pork industry preparing?  

What preventative measures can be taken?  

And how well will those industries cope should the disease be detected in the UK?

Guests:
Stewart Houston CBE, Chair, Red Tractor Pigs
Rebecca Veale, Chief Policy Adviser, the National Pig Association 
Nick Allen, Chief Executive, the British Meat Processing Association 

There are probably few spices that have been written about as much as turmeric.

It is a fantastic thing to behold, the colour alone, a rich yellow or deep orange, makes it stand out from the crowd.

Half of the world's turmeric is consumed in India where it is often referred to as "the golden goddess".

It has been used in cooking for centuries and, in the UK at least, has long been regarded as merely a versatile, fragrant and colourful spice for many dishes.

More recently, claims have been made about its health benefits.

Perhaps it is just the UK catching up with the rest of the world; medicinal claims around turmeric go back hundreds of years.

But why has turmeric captivated us for so long? Is there any truth in the medicinal claims? And what is next for the famous yellowy-orange powder?

Guests:
Dr Vivien Rolfe, Head of Herbal Research, Pukka Herbs
Dr Kristopher Paultre, University of Miami

With Allergen Awareness Week in full swing, the Food Matters Live podcast, in partnership with Dutch Spices, is focussing on allergen-free food.

Food allergies and intolerances affect millions of people worldwide. In Europe alone, more than 17 million people suffer with them.

They may find themselves avoiding eating out, missing meals with family and friends, and endlessly checking food labels.

And when it comes to something as serious as food allergies, trust is a big issue.

We have had high-profile cases in recent years which have shown the devastating effects of what can happen when things go wrong.

With food allergies seemingly on the rise, the need for innovation is becoming ever more important.

So, how is the food industry responding to these safety concerns?

Guests:
Piet Buis, Business Unit Manager Export, Dutch Spices 
Peter Curry, Managing Director, Gastrome Professional Ingredients
John Smith, General Manager, Finnegan’s Farm

There is a bewildering world beneath our feet that is both teeming with life and crucial to the global food system.

It is a narrow, constantly moving, ever evolving, region within the soil known as the rhizosphere and it is vital to the health of crops and the land itself.

A healthy rhizosphere is filled with a diverse range of microorganisms, which means taking care of it is anything but simple.

In fact, there is lots we do not know about this complex region, or about the way those microorganisms interact with the soil and crops.

In this episode of the Food Matters Live podcast, made in partnership with Anglo American, we delve into what we do know about the rhizosphere and gain an understanding of what else science is trying to learn about it.

The prospect of acquiring new knowledge makes this a fascinating topic, and we know that gaining a greater understanding of the rhizosphere is crucial to the future of farming.

There are few people in the world who know more about this topic than our guest.

Guest:
Kathryn Bartlett, Soil Scientist, Anglo American Crop Nutrients

Microplastics; tiny pieces of plastic usually less than 5mm in length, are a growing concern in the food industry.

They come from a variety of sources, and the more research that is done, the more it seems they are making their way into every corner of the globe.

Microplastics have been found in our oceans, our farmland, and our woodlands.

They are not only polluting the environment, they are also finding their way into our food.

One study estimates that the average person consumes roughly five grams of plastic per week, that is about the weight of a credit card.

So, in this episode of the Food Matters Live podcast, we ask: How worried should we be, for the planet’s health and our own?

And how on earth do we go about eradicating something so tiny, yet so omnipresent?

Guests
Jeanette Rotchell, Professor of Aquatic Toxicology, University of Hull
James Lofty, PhD Research Student, Cardiff University School of Engineering