Food Matters Live Podcast

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) says we lose the equivalent of one football field to soil erosion every five seconds.That figure becomes even more shocking the more we learn about what soils are made up of, and the crucial role they play in so many aspects of our lives.Soil is fundamental to human health and society. 95% of food comes from the land, soils filter water to give us clean drinking water, and they provide a range of medicines - most antibiotics come from the soil. Crucially, when it comes to feeding a growing population, soils are essential.  Whether that’s boosting food production or making sure what we eat contains sufficient nutrients. The FAO predicts by 2050, we will have up to 10% less crop yield due to erosion, which is the equivalent of removing millions of hectares of land from crop production.In short, soils are so much more than just dirt, and their protection is something that should concern us all.In this episode of the Food Matters Live podcast, made in partnership with Anglo American, we delve deeper into the issues around soil erosion and degradation, look at how different practices impact soil, and ask: What can be done to improve soil health?Listen to the full episode to find out more about what causes soil erosion and how we can reduce it, why biodiversity within soil is crucial to our very existence, and the impact fertilizers can have if the right stuff is used in the right way.POLY4 FertilizerPOLY4 is the trademark name for polyhalite products from Anglo American. It is a naturally-occurring, low-chloride, multi-nutrient fertilizer certified for organic use. It includes four of the six key macro nutrients that all plants need to grow: potassium, sulphur, magnesium and calcium, and a range of valuable micro nutrients. It allows farmers to maximise their crop yield, increase quality and improve soil structure with one simple product.

"We hope the students might go on to choose a career in food," says Adele Louise James, Director of Learning for Catering and Technology at Whitefield School in Barnet, North London. "It's a massive industry.""This project shows them the other side of food. Normally, when a student thinks about food they just think about a chef. They don't know about all the other jobs that are involved."Adele is passionate about food and the jobs that the industry can provide in the future for her students.In this episode of the Career Conversations podcast series, made in partnership with the charity School Food Matters, we learn all about the special project that is helping introduce school children to the wonderful world of working in food.The Fresh Enterprise Project is run by School Food Matters in collaboration with the food manufacturer, Belazu. Schools: Find out more about the Fresh Enterprise project and how to apply to join Ethical food brands: How you can partner with School Food Matters It sees teams of students come up with their own ideas for sources and pastes. They get to do everything, from choosing the ingredients, to naming their product and designing the label.As part of the competition, they get to go on a tour of the Belazu factory to see how food manufacturing really works. And the winners get the best prize of all, seeing their source made, bottled and sold to real world consumers."We thought it was an ideal opportunity to get the students hooked into food and see where it could go," says Adele, who tells us she was initially encouraged to get involved in the project by the Food Teachers Centre.Rachel Copus, Partnerships and Programmes Officer at School Food Matters, says the project is designed to educate a new generation about food."It's so cool to think you could actually make something that ends up on the shelf," she says. "I would have loved to have done something like this when I was at school."For this episode of the podcast, we've sent our host Elisa Roche back to school to meet the students who won the latest Fresh Enterprise competition.She also got her very own tour of the Belazu factory to see what the students experience, and met Linde Stael, Foundation and Sustainability Manager at the company."Schools love to come in and often I hear from the children that it's the first time they've actually seen production from inside," says Linde. "For children having that better understanding of one part of the food industry is a very valuable thing.Find out more about the up-coming Food Matters Live careers event series"The food industry is struggling to find new talent, so we hope this project helps children to realise there are opportunities in food."Listen to the full episode to learn more about the Fresh Enterprise Project, the incredible work done by School Food Matters, and find out all about this year's winning source.School Food MattersSchool Food Matters' mission is to teach children about food and to improve children’s access to healthy, sustainable food during their time at school.The charity provides fully funded food education programmes to schools. Its experience delivering these programmes informs and strengthens its campaigns, bringing the voices of children, parents and teachers to government policy.School Food Matters was founded in 2007 by Stephanie Slater, a parent who was perplexed by the school food offered to her two small children; frozen food, unappealing and quite often unidentifiable.In the 15 years since, nearly 55,000 children have taken part in its food education projects, but the charity's work goes way beyond even those fantastic schemes.It has a big focus on securing an extension to free school meal provision, making sure children have access to fresh good quality food at school, and re-instating the food A-level, the only GCSE that does not have its own A-level.BelazuBelazu was founded in 1991, under the name The Fresh Olive Company.It was started by two friends, Adam Wells and George Bennell, who met at secondary school.The company has grown from selling buckets of olives to a restaurant in Oxford, to selling a whole range of pastes, oils, truffles and snacks.Belazu says one of its guiding principles is: The Ingredient is King. But it also has a big focus on how it works with the local communities it is part of.As well as its work as part of the Fresh Enterprise project, it has established the Belazu Foundation which has helped to set up two schools in the Atlas Mountains in Morocco.Whitefield SchoolWhitefield School is a secondary school and sixth form located in the London Borough of Barnet. Its Headteacher, Chris Hunt, says its purpose is to ensure it develops well-rounded pupils who achieve great grades and have great character.Whitefield students are resilient and determined, focused and driven, qualities which are central to success.

"I find it interesting how poorly understood the food system is by politicians in the UK," says Karen Betts, Chief Executive of the Food and Drink Federation (FDF)."Food manufacturing is something we need to educate them on better. We're often hidden away and out of view, but what goes on in our industry is absolutely vital."Karen took on the role at the FDF in December 2021 and what a time to do it. Since her appointment, the food industry has faced enormous challenges, including inflation, a fuel crisis, and the global effects of the war in Ukraine, not to mention the fallout from the Coronavirus pandemic.But she is well-placed to face those challenges, with a CV that is as intriguing as it is impressive. She is a former lawyer and has had posts including: ambassador to Morocco, positions in the Cabinet Office and the Joint Intelligence Committee, and senior jobs in industry, recently as Chief Executive of the Scotch Whisky Association.So what is her vision for the FDF? What are her priorities amongst a plethora of challenges for the industry? And how will she go about affecting the change she believes is needed?Karen tells the Food Matters Live podcast she wants to work with the UK's new prime minister to tackle the biggest issues.On inflation and energy prices, she says: "It would be really good to see a new prime minister really grip the economic issues and come up with a coherent and sensible plan. "The country and industry needs to have a clearer idea from government about how they think we can all collectively best cope. Businesses are doing everything they can now. "But we want to put businesses in a strong position where they can focus on growing and thriving into the future."Karen says sustainability and health are ongoing issues for the food and drink industry, with the pressure on to play a responsible role in helping to make food a "source of health, not ill-health".She says labour shortages are a big concern for many and wants to see the issue confronted "long-term"."If we are in an employed economy now," she says. "How do we use automation, technologies, and digital to help us overcome labour shortages and become more productive?"Listen to the full episode to find out what keeps her up at night when she thinks about the food and drink industry, her view on the potential loss of the Groceries Code Adjudicator, and what she sees as the challenges and opportunities of Brexit.Karen Betts OBE, Chief Executive, Food and Drink FederationKaren Betts joined the Food and Drink Federation as Chief Executive in December 2021.  Prior to this, Karen was the Chief Executive of the Scotch Whisky Association for four years.  While she was there, she steered the UK’s largest food and drink export industry through the UK’s departure from the EU, a trade war with the US which targeted Scotch Whisky with import tariffs, and through the COVID-19 crisis and recovery.  She led the industry’s engagement in the UK’s new, independent trade policy and renewed trading relationships with partners around the world to the benefit of Scotch Whisky exports, alongside overseeing a review of the industry’s environmental policies, which drove the agreement of new and stretching industry-wide sustainability targets.  And under her leadership, the industry committed to a Diversity and Inclusion Charter and to work together more effectively on drawing a wide of people, with a diverse set of skills and backgrounds, into the industry.Prior to joining the SWA, Karen was a diplomat in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office for 16 years, where she held a variety of posts in London and overseas. Latterly, she was British Ambassador to Morocco and non-resident Ambassador to Mauritania. Prior to that, Karen was Counsellor to the British Embassy in Washington, and held roles at the UK's Permanent Representation to the EU in Brussels and the British Embassy in Baghdad.  In London, she served in the Cabinet Office and the Joint Intelligence Committee, as well as in several roles in the Foreign Office. Before joining the FCO, Karen was a lawyer at Clifford Chance, working in London and Hong Kong. She studied law at the College of Law in Guildford and history at St Andrews University. Karen is an Adviser to the UK Government’s Board of Trade and received an OBE in the Queen’s birthday honours in 2022 for her services to international trade.

The World Health Organization says there are four-times as many people with Type 2 Diabetes today than there were just 30 years ago.Type 2 Diabetes is often called a “lifestyle disease”, with inactivity and an unhealthy diet greatly increasing the risk of developing it.  Food is a central part of the cause and appears to be a major part of the solution.     So what role has the food industry played in the huge rise in cases, and what role it might be able to play in bringing them down?This episode also delves into the advice given to people to avoid developing Type 2 Diabetes and looks at the work being done to reverse the condition in those who have it.For both of the above, we ask: Is general advice applicable to everyone, or do we need to adopt a more personalised approach?Listen to the full episode to find out what happens deep within someone's body when they go intro remission, how much is known about diabetes in people in all populations, and where anyone worried about Type 2 Diabetes can go for support and advice.Roy Taylor, Professor of Medicine, Newcastle UniversityRoy Taylor qualified in medicine at the University of Edinburgh, and is Professor of Medicine at Newcastle University. He was formally Professor of Medicine at Newcastle Hospitals NHS Trust. He founded the Newcastle Magnetic Resonance Centre in 2006 to develop innovative research techniques ‘looking’ at structure and function actually inside the living body.In 2011, he showed that Type 2 Diabetes was a simple, reversible condition of excess fat within liver and pancreas. Subsequent he has clarified what causes Type 2 Diabetes and how it works. This has led to practical application in the NHS with the NHS remission programme now well underway.Between 1986 and 2000, Professor Taylor developed the system now used throughout the United Kingdom for screening for diabetic eye disease, with major reduction in blindness due to diabetes across the UK.He has published books in lay language explaining Type 2 Diabetes, including "Life Without Diabetes", as well as training books on retinal screening. He has been invited to deliver named lectures including the 2012 Banting Lecture 2015, Harry Keen Lecture (Diabetes UK), the 2016 Samuel Gee Lecture (Royal College of Physicians of London) and Sir Robert W Philip Lecture of The Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh 2021).

"I've always been driven, not by wealth, but by a desire to make a difference."Wendy Wilson-Bett is the co-founder of Peter's Yard, the food company that makes sourdough treats, most-famously their sourdough crackers.Her career has seen her working for some of the biggest food brands in the world, and her story of launching Peter's Yard is one of perseverance.She discovered a baker making the crackers whilst touring Sweden and approached him about working together to take the product to the UK.Now, 12 years after the brand was first launched, Peter's Yard has been bought by a bigger company, potentially helping the business to grow even further.Despite the timescales involved in the journey, Wendy says she does not regret a thing mainly because: "I love what I do."She is a big advocate of having a solid plan if you want to achieve success, something she says comes from her time working at big companies: "I don't think you can work in marketing in a big corporation and not believe in the strength of having a plan."Wendy is at the top of her game when it comes to food and drinks businesses and she has some incredible advice for anyone considering a similar career path. She recommends contacting a group called Young Foodies, which provides support and a sense of community for food and drinks start-up founders.She also strongly believes that you should try to find a job you are proud of doing and that you believes, in otherwise, she says, you will not stick with it.Wendy Wilson-Bett, Co-founder, Peter's YardWendy Wilson-Bettn loves developing brands, businesses and people.For 22 years she worked at Cadbury Schweppes in Brand Management, Category Management, Innovation and General Management. Her last role was Global Commercial Capability Director on the Cadbury Schweppes Global Leadership Team.She said she would leave when she stopped learning and 13 years ago, she left to do something she had always dreamed of, which was to run her own business.  Together with her business partner, Ian Tencor, she built the business from scratch leading to the employment of over 40 bright, capable people which makes both Ian and Wendy very proud. The business continues to grow and flourish and in July 2022 Lotus Bakeries purchased Peter’s Yard and have exciting plans for its future growth.She is equally proud to be Co-Owner of Söderberg, a Swedish bakery café business with eight retail outlets offering great coffee, Swedish pastries and an inviting space to relax and enjoy the company of loved ones and friends.Wendy likes to support other managers and entrepreneurs who can learn a little from the highs and lows she's experienced on her journey.  

For decades, the global food system has evolved around a small number of plants and animals. 75% of our calories now come from just five animals and 12 crops.    But as the world becomes more insecure, and the climate crisis worsens, the risk of relying on a small number of crops rises.  And the risks are not just around the crops, they are around the geography of the system. We are all seeing that now, as the war in Ukraine causes global issues in food price and supply.So the food system needs to adapt and change; we should be growing different crops in different places.The good news is, our world is full of incredible, edible things. There are thousands of plants which can give us what we need, and which are not currently being eaten at scale.  Within that diversity, surely there are plants which could become new global or regional staples, which could resist drought, which could make us healthier.In this episode of the Food Matters Live podcast, our panel of experts look at what the diet of the future might be like and ask whether the food system is adaptable enough to get us there.Marybel Soto Gomez, Project Manager, Kew GardensMarybel's research interests lay at the interface of plant evolution, systematics, crop wild relatives, and agrobiodiversity. At Kew, she is responsible for managing a project on the sustainable use and conservation of Ethiopia's rich plant bioresources for enhancing local food security and socio-economic development. She is additionally leading phylogenomic studies to (i) resolve the contentious evolutionary history of the monocot order Dioscoreales, and (ii) identify crop wild relatives of the major yam crop, Dioscorea alata.Richard Ellis, Professor of Crop Production, University of ReadingAs Professor of Crop Production, teaching and research in seed and crop physiology and production in relation to agriculture, horticulture and biodiversity conservationRihcard's research covers reproductive crop plant biology and the effect of environment on seeds, plants and crops. Research on seeds includes seed quality development, seed storage (including the seed viability equation), seed dormancy and germination (including seed testing and crop establishment), and these interests in anhydrous biology extend to related aspects in fungal spores and pollen. The application of much of the seed research has been within the international networks of gene-banks; i.e. long-term seed stores for plant genetic resources conservation (one element of biodiversity conservation). Research on flowering has been concerned ultimately with crop adaptation, by determining the quantitative effects of temperature and photoperiod on flowering.Dorothy Shaver, ​​Global Sustainability Director, UnileverDorothy is a Registered Dietitian working in food sustainability with unique experience in and passion for driving behaviour change for positive health and environmental outcomes. Over the past fifteen years she has worked across media, retail, health care, and the fitness industry championing food choices to enable personal and planetary health. Her most recent piece of work is theKnorrFuture 50 Foods report, which is a collaborative thought leadership report in which food system issues are outlined and nutrient dense foods that promote agrobiodiversity and reduce the negative environmental impact of food are identified. Dorothy’s recent work has been featured in over 6,000 national, international and social media pieces with features in far reaching credible channels across 95 countries.She has been a long-term spokesperson for sustainable nutrition and has spoken at well-known conferences and events including the International Festival of Creativity In Cannes, France and at the EAT Forum in Stockholm, Sweden. In addition to this, Dorothy has written various pieces as a guest blogger, news contributor, and guest food writer. Her expertise has brought her all over the world, joining forces with renowned experts and partners to achieve measurable change. 

Throughout history, the link between social class and food has been undeniable. But is it still there today?So many of the things we do signify social status; how we speak, our hobbies, the things we buy. But how does food fit into all that?    We may no longer live in a country where the upper classes are feasting on peacock, whilst the lower classes make do with gruel, but that doesn’t mean social class and food are not linked.   Avocados have almost been weaponised in recent years in Britain, often used by those apparently keen on a class war.How have avocados ended up being used in that way? And are there other examples of certain foods becoming powerful symbols in quite the same way?The language of food can be important too in this context. Just think about the different ways people refer to their dinner, supper, or tea.In this episode of the Food Matters Live podcast we look to the history for clues about how much class still influences food in the modern world.Are there certain foods in today’s society that still denote social class? Who do we look to for inspiration in food? And how much does the food industry recognise and perpetuate social differences?  And in a time of food poverty and food banks, can we overcome these prejudices, and improve people’s diets?Pen Vogler, authorPen Vogler is the author of Scoff, Dinner with Mr Darcy and Dinner with Dickens, and curated the exhibition Food Glorious Food at the Charles Dickens Museum. She edited Penguin's Great Food series, writes and reviews on food history for the press and has recreated recipes from the past for BBC Television. She has given talks and tastings on food in history, including on meals and dining in the Georgian era, throughout the UK. She has appeared on television, cooking and discussing recipes, including on Mrs Dickens' Family Christmas on BBC2 with Sue Perkins. She has also written on the subject for the Guardian, the Observer, and The Lady.

"Your first job is not necessarily what you're going to do for the rest of your life. Just think about what you would enjoy, rather than stressing that you've committed to a career for 50 years."Ella Jones is Junior Brand Manager at Mondelez International, the multinational company which boasts the likes of Cadbury, Oreo, Ritz, and Green and Black's in its portfolio.She's only been in the role a few years, but her story could prove inspirational for anyone receiving exam results this summer, and starting to consider where their career might be heading.Ella studied English Literature at the University of Exeter and wasn't entirely sure what she would do after.In this episode of the Career Conversations podcast series, she reveals the unconventional approach she took to hunting for a job and ended up at Mondelez.She says she looked at the Times Top 100 Graduate Employers list and thumbed through, highlighting companies that she though looked interesting.When she came across Mondelez, she says she thought to herself "I know that I'm passionate about chocolate", so she took a look online to see what jobs were available.She ended up on the company's graduate scheme, which lasts three years and covered finance, sales, and marketing."It gave me exposure to a real breadth of roles," she says. "I would definitely recommend doing a graduate scheme."Ella says the scheme was a great way to set her up for the world of work, including basic things like booking a meeting room or having an end of year review - small experiences that can give you confidence in the workplace.Listen to the full episode to find out what it's like to work at Mondelez, how Ella has managed to overcome bouts of imposter syndrome in the past, and she tells just about the nicest Curly Wurly story you're ever likely to hear.Ella Jonas, Junior Brand Manager, Mondelez InternationalElla is from Winchester in Hampshire, but now lives in London. She studied English Literature at Exeter University.She applied to Mondelez, an international FMCG company which owns Cadbury, Oreo, Green & Black’s, Toblerone, Philadelphia and lots more. She did three years on the Sales and Marketing graduate scheme. That scheme saw her cover revenue planning, a type of internal finance, working on Christmas biscuits, Freddo marketing, sales, managing Christmas and Easter in Co-Op. She is now back in marketing, but the scheme was a great opportunity to experience multiple functions and enhance her skillset.

Should we all be considering switching to a diet made up of seasonal food?  It's a big question, and the impact could be huge too. How would it affect the food system? What difference would it make to the planet? In theory, only eating foods that are produced in your region at certain times of the year should mean fewer carbon emissions and less waste. But how big an impact would it really have? How likely is it that such a big change can be affected? And would it really benefit all of us? Our guest in this episode of the podcast is the food entrepreneur, Emilie Vanpoperinghe. Emilie is co-founder of Oddbox, a company that delivers thousands of boxes of in-season fruit and vegetables every week as part of its fight to make the world more sustainable.       Oddbox has one of the clearest tag-lines around: Wonky Fruit & Veg | Deliciously Odd & Delivered to Your Door. Listen to the full episode to find out more about Emilie and Oddbox, why she believes switching to a seasonal diet could have a dramatic impact on the environment, and how the idea of seasonal eating fits, or otherwise, with the cost of living crisis. Emilie Vanpoperinghe, Co-founder, Oddbox Oddbox is a sustainable fruit and veg box tackling food waste. Oddbox rescues delicious fresh fruit and veg which is deemed ‘too big’, ‘too ugly’, the ‘wrong’ colour, or ‘too many’ from going to waste. A supply-led model, Oddbox partners with growers throughout the UK to box up and deliver this ‘too odd’ or ‘too many’ produce to a food waste fighting community across the UK. With every box its community reduces food waste, saves CO2 and water. Since its inception in 2016, the business has distributed over 5 million boxes, with its community rescuing a combined 30,000 tonnes of fresh fruit and veg. Emilie has over 15 years’ project and team management experience in Fortune 500 companies (3M and BT) across the globe. She was previously Director of Finance & Operations for Girl Effect, an international NGO set up by the Nike Foundation, working in developing countries to empower adolescent girls to reach their potential.  Before that, she worked close to 10 years in finance in the corporate sector in France, India and the UK. Emilie is originally from northern France and has been in the UK for the past 10 years. Her grandparents were potato farmers and so she knows what it takes to grow fresh produce.

Is there a link between nutrition and the health changes associated with the menopause? It’s an area that traditionally has not received as much attention as one might hope, but things are perhaps changing. There has been a lot of recent media interest in the menopause, notably Davina McCall’s TV programmes, Scotland First Minister Nicola Sturgeon’s interviews, and other celebrity interventions getting lots of coverage.     But while this public discussion is a welcome change, it has also helped highlight that far-from-enough is known about the health issues associated with the menopause. And the question of menopause and nutrition is an area unfortunately still swamped in myth and pseudoscience. That is where our guest, Dr Sarah Berry comes in. She is Reader in the Department of Nutritional Sciences at King's College London and is Chief Scientist at the health science company ZOE. ZOE has been studying the effect of the menopause on body composition, sleep, heart disease risk, gut microbiome composition, and the impact our diets can have on these factors. Listen to the full episode to get a proper definition of what the menopause is, and how the symptoms compare to those experienced during the perimenopausal phase. We also find out how what you eat could potentially affect symptoms, and why this latest ZOE research could act a springboard for more to come. Dr Sarah Berry, Lead Nutritional Scientist, ZOE Dr Sarah Berry’s research interests relate to the influence of dietary components on markers of cardiovascular disease risk, with a particular focus on: - Precision nutrition  - Postprandial metabolism - Food and fat structure Since commencing her research career at King’s College London in 2000, she has been the academic leader for more than 30 human nutrition studies in cardio-metabolic health. Sarah has made a leading contribution to the knowledge-base on the influence of interesterification of triacylglycerols on postprandial metabolism. Her research also focuses on the influence of manipulation of food structure and subsequent effects on lipid and carbohydrate bioaccessibility and changes in postprandial metabolism. Ongoing research involves human and mechanistic studies to elucidate how markers of cardiometabolic health can be modulated following acute and chronic intakes of different fatty acids and interesterified fats, as well as studies to investigate the influence of cell wall integrity on macronutrient and micronutrient release from different plant-based foods. Sarah is also the lead nutritional scientist on the PREDICT programme, assessing the genetic, metabolic, metagenomic, and meal-dependent effects on metabolic responses to food in >3,000 individuals in the UK and US. This research is at the forefront of developments in personalised nutrition and is forging a new way forward in the design and implementation of large-scale remote nutrition research studies integrating novel technologies, citizen science and AI.