The invention of food packaging is one of humanity’s greatest achievements. It may seem hard to imagine today, but the first clay pots made the great civilizations of the ancient world possible, while paper’s first use, long before it became a surface for writing, was to wrap food. But packaging’s proliferation, combined with the invention of plastics, has b ... Show More
Aug 19
Tomatoes: A Love Story
The tomato is Gastropod’s favorite flavor of summer, and we’re not alone: today, it’s the most popular vegetable on the planet, despite the fact that it's technically a fruit. But, until a couple of hundred years ago, the tomato wasn't really anyone's favorite. In South America, ... Show More
50m 48s
Aug 5
The Most Dangerous Fruit in America
It's the epitome of summertime: there’s nothing like a cold, juicy slice of red watermelon on a swelteringly hot day. But, once upon a time, watermelons were neither red nor sweet—the wild watermelon has white flesh and a bitter taste. This episode, we scour Egyptian tombs, decay ... Show More
45m 20s
Jul 22
The Colorful Tale of Mexico's A-maize-ing Grain
This might sound corny, but the relationship between maize and humanity is essential. We rely on corn—globally, more maize is grown than wheat or rice—and, in turn, corn is utterly dependent on us, to the extent that it's lost the ability to reproduce without our help. But corn's ... Show More
50m 56s
Feb 2023
The (Weirdly Crooked) History of the Food Pyramid
Nutrition is a big deal -- across the United States, tons of kids learned the basics of nutrition through a handy infographic called the 'Food Pyramid,' which laid out how much of a given food group the average person should consume. But there's much, much more to the story than ... Show More
46 m
Feb 2021
The Greatest Food Invention Of All Time ft. Adam Richman
Today, we're joined by TV personality, culinary traveler, cook, and author, Adam Richman to discuss: what is the greatest food invention of all time? To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ... Show More
47m 10s
Jan 2020
Trailer: Welcome to The Sporkful
This podcast isn’t for foodies, it’s for eaters. We have a ton of fun obsessing about food to learn more about culture, science, history, and most importantly—people. In every episode of The Sporkful you’re going to learn something, feel something, and laugh. Winner of the James ... Show More
2m 39s
Jun 2019
Global Food Security, Reactive Use-By Labels, Origins of the Potato
On the day that the UK government launches a year long “food-to-Fork” review of food production in the UK, we present a food themed special edition.Global Food Security
Maia Elliot is an analyst and writer for Global Food Security, who recently held a competition for young food r ... Show More
32m 8s