The Food Chain Podcast
The Food Chain examines the business, science and cultural significance of food, and what it takes to put food on your plate.
Episodes to download
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What is the ultimate hangover cure?
Thu 18 Dec 2025
Find out what happens in your body after you’ve had alcohol and whether any remedies work
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Food heroes and villains
Thu 11 Dec 2025
Why does social media cast some foods as heroes and others as villains?
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How to eat well in the cold
Thu 4 Dec 2025
What kinds of food and drink help people keep warm while living in extreme cold?
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To tip or not to tip?
Thu 27 Nov 2025
What wait staff really think about your payments for their service
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The servers: The highs and lows of waiting on tables
Thu 20 Nov 2025
What is your table server really thinking? We hear about the working lives of wait staff
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Food by drones?
Thu 13 Nov 2025
From hot takeaways to emergency aid, are autonomous aircraft the future?
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Turmeric: The golden spice
Thu 6 Nov 2025
Rumella Dasgupta looks at the history of turmeric and its uses in both food and medicine
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The chefs
Thu 30 Oct 2025
Chefs from three continents tell Ruth Alexander what makes this demanding job so special.
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The coffee habit: Why do we love it so much?
Thu 23 Oct 2025
The story of why we love coffee, through history, tradition and science.
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How (not) to complain
Thu 9 Oct 2025
Believe it or not, restaurants really do want your feedback, but in-person, not online.
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Portion size: How much should you eat?
Thu 2 Oct 2025
How to make sure you’re eating the right amount of food
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Dining etiquette: What really matters?
Thu 25 Sep 2025
No elbows, no emojis: The new rules of table manners
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How to set a food trend
Thu 18 Sep 2025
How much work goes into creating the next big thing in food?
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Flavour: The potato chip story
Thu 11 Sep 2025
Ruth Alexander looks at why crisps are one of world's most enduring and popular snacks.
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Should I eat breakfast?
Thu 4 Sep 2025
What makes a healthy first meal of the day, and when to have it
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Bottom trawling and the future of global fish supplies
Thu 28 Aug 2025
What pressures are these fishing methods placing on oceans and those who depend on them?
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Making care home food better
Thu 21 Aug 2025
The people aiming to bring quality, nutritious meals for elderly residents in care homes
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Garlic: Food or medicine?
Thu 14 Aug 2025
A journey through this pungent bulb's history, culture and cuisine.
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India's caste system and food
Thu 24 Jul 2025
How social stigma impacted the cuisine of India’s Dalit community
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A place at the table: fostering and adoption
Thu 17 Jul 2025
How a simple plate of food can provide comfort, connection and a sense of belonging.
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Protein v fibre
Thu 10 Jul 2025
Is our preoccupation with protein overshadowing another nutritional essential – fibre?
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Video game food
Thu 3 Jul 2025
How do you bring a fantastical virtual food item to life in the real world?
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The story of your plate
Thu 26 Jun 2025
The history of dinnerware and what it says about the people who use it
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Thai food: Winning hearts and minds
Thu 19 Jun 2025
How a government used food to influence how you view the country
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AI in the food chain
Thu 12 Jun 2025
How is artificial intelligence rewiring the global food industry?
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The buyers
Thu 5 Jun 2025
We speak to three professional buyers about finding the best food at the best price
Food Chain highlights
Tea, coffee, spices, chillies ... snack on a selection of programme highlights
