Food Matters Live Podcast

The World Health Orgnization's European Regional Obesity Report makes grim reading.It says nearly two-thirds of European adults are obese, a third of children are overweight or obese, and crucially, the numbers are rising.The WHO says no European country is on track to stop obesity rising by 2025.For UK readers, the standout headline is that Britain is on course to have the worst obesity rate in Europe by 2033.But there is one line within the report that offers a glimpse of hope. It says: "Europe can reverse its obesity epidemic."In this episode of the Food Matters Live Podcast, we interview one of the authors of the report, Kremlin Wickramasinghe, Acting Head of the WHO European Office for the Prevention and Control of Non-communicable diseases.For decades obesity has been a major global health issue and as time has ticked on, despite research, government health legislation, campaigns, changes within the food industry, things continue to get worse.It’s a topic we’ve covered before on the podcast, but when we have asked where the solutions are coming from, convincing answers have often been in short supply.     In order to understand how we might reverse rising obesity rates, we first need to understand how we ended up here in the first place.This WHO report is the first we've had for 15 years and some of the changes that have happened in that time, appear to be contributing to the obesity crisis.The Coronavirus pandemic is highlighted in the report as having increased our consumption of fast-food, led to more screen time, and a more sedentary lifestyle.The increased use of food delivery apps is also playing a role, says the report, and in more ways than might immediately be obvious.Listen to the full episode to get some answers to questions such as; why are all of Europe's nations failing to get a grip of the obesity crisis? Whose responsibility is it to reverse the current trend? And where can European countries look to for inspiration?And then there's that slight glimmer of hope. If Europe really can reverse its obesity epidemic, how exactly does it go about doing it? Dr Kremlin Wickramasinghe, Acting Head, WHO European Office for the Prevention and Control of Noncommunicable DiseasesKremlin leads the Nutrition, Physical Activity and Obesity Programme which is responsible for providing support to the 53 Member States of the WHO European Region on the implementation of the European Food and Nutrition Action Plan and Physical Activity. Prior to this position he worked as a Technical Officer on Noncommunicable Diseases (NCD) Risk Factors, since 2017 in the same office. Before joining WHO, he was a researcher and the co-director of the WHO Collaborating Centre on Population Approaches to NCD Prevention at the University of Oxford, United Kingdom. He co-edited the text book “An Introduction to Population-level Prevention of Non-Communicable Diseases” published by the Oxford University Press. He has a special interest in multisectoral responses to health promotion, quantifying the outcome of health policies and implementation research. Kremlin graduated as a medical doctor with MBBS from the University of Colombo. He holds an MSc in Global Health Science and a DPhil (PhD) in Public Health from the University of Oxford.

Technion, Israel’s Institute of Technology is the oldest university in the country and one of the leading universities in the world.  Its Faculty of Biotechnology and Food Engineering is a unique department where expertise from many disciplines comes together. Israel is a global centre of food and agri-tech, producing remarkable innovations, and attracting astonishing levels of investment.But, like anywhere else in the world, there are problems; food waste, overfishing, unsustainable practices, feeding a growing population. Israel is facing all of the above and the issues are taxing its brightest minds.The Food Matters Live Podcast has looked at innovation in Israel before, but in this episode we are going to get a unique insight into one of the world’s leading research centres.The Faculty of Biotechnology and Food Engineering is led by Professor Marcelle Machluf, a remarkable woman who was named Lady Globe Magazine’s ‘Woman of the Year’ in 2018.Her work has been included in the Israel Ministry of Science and Technology’s list of ‘Israel’s 60 Most Impactful Developments’.During this episode of the Food Matters Live Podcast, we learn about the new Carasso FoodTech Innovation Center being built at Technion.It has an R&D centre, packaging laboratory, kitchens, tasting, and evaluation units.Professor Machluf says: "It's not enough to just sit in the classroom. Our students need the right equipment to develop their ideas and they need to be prepared for whatever the future holds."Listen to the full episode to hear her views on the importance of building relationships to drive innovation, learn more about the work being done at Technion, and how the institute is going about developing a centre for ideas that haven't yet been born. Professor Marcelle Machluf, Dean of the Faculty of Biotechnology and Food Engineering, TechnionProfessor Marcelle Machluf is renowned for her cutting-edge cancer and drug delivery research, and her work in tissue regeneration. She is head of the Technion’s graduate Interdisciplinary Program in Biotechnology, a member of the Affiliate Engineering Faculty of the Technion Integrated Cancer Center, and former deputy executive vice president for research for the Technion’s Pre-Clinical Research Authority. She also works closely with the Russell Berrie Nanotechnology Institute.Professor Machluf is developing a targeted drug delivery system using modified stem cells called Nano-Ghosts to home in on tumours, unleashing its therapeutic load at the cancer site. She is also developing scaffolding for tissue engineering of the pancreas, heart, and blood vessels, and developing carriers for cell delivery with applications for treating diabetes and more. She has a laboratory at Nanyang Technological University of Singapore, where she is working on a leading tissue regenerative project.Professor Machluf has authored book chapters and more than 80 peer-reviewed journal papers in leading journals. Her work has been cited more than 2,800 times. She has six national patents and two approved international patents in the fields of drug delivery and tissue engineering. She is the recipient of many honours including the Alon Award for excellence in science, the Gutwirth Award for achievements in gene therapy, the Hershel Rich Technion Innovation Award, and the Juludan Research Prize for outstanding research.

"It came as it of a surprise," says Jessica Pinnick about landing her job as Brand Manager for the soft drinks company, Belvoir Farm. "As the best thing often do" Jessica has been in the role for around a year and describes her job as being about telling the story of the brand. Belvoir Farm has been around for more than 40 years and is perhaps best-known for its elderflower cordial. So how did Jessica end up in this fantastic marketing role? Her career began at Boots, where she joined as an apprentice and went on a development programme. She says that really helped her decide which direction to take her career in: "I was able to try lots of things until I worked out what I really wanted to do." Jessica stayed at Boots for nearly ten years, before making the move to Belvoir and says it was the level of creativity required in the role, that really attracted her. "It's about getting to understand what consumers want and what they're looking for," she tells Elisa Roche in this episode of the Career Conversations podcast series. "This is probably one of the most creative jobs I've ever done." She see herself as the chief storyteller for the brand and has been integral in the launch of the company's first television advert, which hit screens in July 2022. Listen to the full episode to learn the difference between product marketing and brand marketing, find out how to get a job like Jessica's, as well as what you can expect to earn, and learn the correct way to pronounce Belvoir. Jessica Pinnick, Brand Manager, Belvoir Farm Belvoir Farm is a premium soft drinks brand with sustainability at its heart. The brand is best known for its Elderflower Cordial, which is still produced on the family farm in Leicestershire, using elderflowers handpicked by the local community as it has been for the last 40 years.  Jessica's role as Brand Manager is to be the guardian and chief storyteller for the brand, bringing to life its amazing brand history, provenance and product quality through creating engaging content, inspiring marketing activation and market leading innovation to ultimately delight customers. Passionate about the power of brands and captivated by the infamous “here come the girls” Boots TV ads, Jessica began her career with Boots in 2011 where she worked for ten years across its portfolio of brands including Boots own label, partner brands and Soltan sun care.  She says she is most proud of working on Soltan’s ‘tattooed child’ campaign, designed to raise awareness of the long-term effects of UVA damage. Along with a complete relaunch of the brand look and feel and an award-winning ATL activation plan that resulted in double digit sales growth between 2018-2020 and overtaking key competitors to become the No1 suncare brand in the UK. Right now, Jessica is excited about the year ahead, which sees the launch of Belvoir Farm’s first brand campaign centred around its unique story and how its dedication to nurturing nature is reflected in the quality of its drinks.

What will be the impact of Britain’s withdrawal from the EU on food standards in the UK? When the Brexit referendum was held, trade was trumpeted as a great benefit. No longer would the UK be constrained by EU deals; the country could sign trade agreements with whomever it wanted.     Almost immediately, concerns were raised about the effect on food standards, food quality and animal welfare. Consumers and farmers would suffer, it was said. Well, several years on, those trade deals are slowly emerging, and the warnings have returned.      A recent focus has been the big trade deal signed with Australia, which eliminates tariffs on a vast range of products, including lamb, beef, sugar, and dairy.      The Australia deal was the first to be built from scratch, most others have rolled over from what the UK had when it was in the EU, or in some cases deals have been slightly extended. The brand-newness of the Australia deal makes it significant. But how big a deal is it and how significant is the food and farming sector within it?   Critics say the Australia deal is bad news for British agriculture and environmental standards.    The UK Government says it will unlock billions in additional trade, and boost wages across the country. The policy paper from government said “imports will still have to meet the same food safety and biosecurity standards as they did before.   "For the UK this means, for example, that imports of hormone-treated beef will continue to be banned.”   And it's not just food standards that people are worried about. The RSPCA says the UK has higher legal animal welfare standards than Australia in virtually every area.   The National Farmers Union has warned that UK producers cannot compete with Australia's vast cattle and sheep stations. So where does the truth lie? And what might the real impact of post-Brexit trade deals be on the UK food sector? Dr Marco Springmann, Senior Researcher, Nuffield Department of Population Health, Oxford Martin School Marco Springmann is a senior researcher in the Centre on Population Approaches for Non-Communicable Disease Prevention in the Nuffield Department of Population Health, and leads the Centre’s programme on environmental sustainability and public health. He is interested in the health, environmental, and economic dimensions of the global food systems. He often uses systems models to provide quantitative estimates on food-related questions. Marco joined the Centre in December 2013. Between 2013 and 2017, he has been a James Martin Fellow of the Oxford Martin Programme on the Future of Food to work with researchers from the Nuffield Department of Population Health, the Department of International Development, and the Environmental Change Institute, to develop an integrated model of environmental sustainability, health, and economic development. Since 2017, he is working on extending the health and environmental aspects of that model as part of the Wellcome funded project “Livestock, Environment and People” (LEAP), working closely with different departments across Oxford, as well as international collaborators, such as the International Policy Research Institute based in the US. Marco holds a PhD in Economics from the University of Oldenburg (Germany), a MSc in Sustainability from the University of Leeds (UK), and a MS in Physics from Stony Brook University (USA). He maintains international research collaborations, and has conducted regular placements, including at the International Food Policy Research Institute (USA), Deakin University (Australia), Tsinghua University (China), the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT, USA), Resources for the Future (USA), the European Investment Bank (Luxemburg), and the German Federal Ministry for the Environment (Germany). He is a Junior Research Fellow at Linacre College, and a Honorary Research Associate in the Food Systems Group of the Environmental Change Institute. Kath Dalmeny, Chief Executive, Sustain: The Alliance for Better Food and Farming Kath has been Chief Executive of Sustain: The alliance for better food and farming, since 2016. She is leading the alliance's response to Brexit and its profound implications for healthy and sustainable food, farming and fishing. She is also a member of the London Food Board and helped establish the Sustainable Food Cities Network. She is a vocal advocate of high standards for food, environment and animal welfare, and champions better trading practices and government support to reward food producers and workers for all the benefits they generate. Kath instigated Sustainable Fish Cities to persuade major foodservice companies to serve only sustainable fish; and the Right to Food initiative to address food poverty systematically so that everyone can eat well. She also helps run the Campaign for Better Hospital Food, and sits on Defra’s food procurement taskforce. On a voluntary basis she serves on the board of Growing Communities, an award-winning community-run sustainable food trading enterprise based in Hackney. Emily Lydgate, Deputy Director, UK Trade Policy Observatory I am a specialist in international trade law and Deputy Director of the UK Trade Policy Observatory, a partnership between University of Sussex and Chatham House. My research focuses at the intersection of environmental regulation and economic integration, and the interrelation between trade, agricultural and climate policies in the EU and UK. I am a Specialist Advisor to the EFRA Committee (UK House of Commons) and have provided expert testimony for a number of UK Parliamentary Committees on implications of exit from the EU. I am also an instructor for the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office's Advanced Diplomatic Academy.  I hold a PhD from King's College London and an MSc (with distinction) from Oxford University. I was a Marie Curie Researcher at Bocconi University and have consulted at the United Nations Environment Programme's Economics and Trade Branch, where I acted as a WTO liaison.  I am currently working on an EU Horizon 2020 grant project on how EU Free Trade Agreements and wider trade policy reflects the goal of securing sustainable agricultural practices, and leading on a report for the UK Committee on Climate Change on trade policy and emissions reduction. I am also on the management team of the Centre for Inclusive Trade Policy, a UK Research Council-funded centre commencing in April 2022. My research and commentary have been featured in the Associated Press, Marketplace, BBC, CNN, China Daily, Financial Times, Independent, Guardian, New Scientist, Times, Telegraph, Vice, Wired, Xinhua News, and others.

The Mediterranean diet is the cornerstone of cultures considered to be the healthiest in the world, but do you know exactly what defines it?In many previous editions of the Food Matters Live podcast, it’s kept cropping up…When we talked about Covid and nutrition, there it was.  When we talked about the gut microbiome, there it was.  And when we talked about nutrition and age, you guessed it, there it was again.It’s hugely influential, but our guest in this episode, says many people are confused about what a Mediterranean diet actually is.That confusion means many people are failing to get the benefits of the diet.So if people are confused, how can they be sure that they are eating the right foods? Apparently, it's all in the colour and the taste of what we consume.And what are the benefits? Why is the Mediterranean diet so good for us? What chemistry is happening inside our bodies when we eat certain foods?Critics of adopting the diet away from the Mediterranean think it's difficut to replicate outside the region, saying many factors such as lifestyle, climate, and community play too big a role.But our guest, although acknowleding those wider factors, says there is evidence it can be beneficial to anyone, anywhere in the world.Listen to the full episode to learn more about the science supporting the adoption of the Mediterranean diet, its role in reducing inflammation, and why extra virgin olive oil is such an crucial element. Simon Poole, doctor, author and consultant Simon Poole MBBS DRCOG FBMA MIANE is a Cambridge-based medical doctor, author, communicator and consultant, and is an internationally renowned authority on the science and application of the Mediterranean Diet and lifestyle. His award winning books, "The Olive Oil Diet" and "The Real Mediterranean Diet" offer a way to access the healthiest nutrition in the world. 

"Rice for breakfast is absolutely standard," says James Forsyth, Performance Chef for elite cycling team the INEOS Grenadiers.That's just one of the many, slightly odd, things he has to think about as part of his role.His job is to prepare meals for all members of the cycling team, as they compete at major events such as the Tour de France.So much thought goes into what the athletes eat and it varies depending on what role the individual cyclist has within the team.One thing is for certain, a lot of food needs to be consumed to make sure the riders are fit and ready to compete at the very top level."It's about the volume of what they eat at each mealtime," James tells Elisa Roche in this episode of the Career Conversations podcast series. "Each meal would probably equate to around six or seven meals."The INEOS Grenadiers, formerly known as Team Sky, are one of the most successful cycling teams of recent years.Geraint Thomas, who won the Tour de France in 2018, currently rides for them, and former team members include Bradley Wiggins and Chris Froome.An INEOS Grenadiers rider has won the Tour de France in seven of the last ten years.James says he wasn't sure he had the right qualifications to become one of team's chefs and his career started in a very different setting.He started off as a chef in a country restaurant, before moving on to work in Michelin-starred restaurants in London.Listen to the full episode to find out how he managed to make the move to one of the world's leading sports teams, what it's like working on the road for so much of the year, and why you "sometimes get an evil eye across the table" when dealing with riders with different roles within the team.James also has some top tips for landing yourself a job just like his. James Forsyth, Team Chef, INEOS GrenadiersJames Forsyth has been cooking for 15 years. Starting his working career as a butchers assistant and washing dishes at the local pub. He took up a commis position at a catering events company, working side by side with the head chef, here he learnt the fundamentals of cooking.Moving on to a 1AA rosette restaurant with a small kitchen brigade, the mentoring continued from a highly experienced head chef for two years. Needing a greater challenge, he moved to London for 4 years to work at the 2* Michelin The Square and 1* Michelin Dinner by Heston Blumenthal.It was at Dinner where he won the William Heptinstall award after being nominated by his peers. This took him to Sydney to gain experience working in the 3 Hats fusion kitchen of Rockpool.After some time away from the stove exploring east Asia and Oceania he took up a role cooking for professional cyclists at Team Sky, now INEOS Grenadiers. Being in the role of senior chef for 7 years, it has come with much team success.From being a part of six grand tour wins including Chris Froomes’ three consecutive grand tour victories to multiple stage and one-day race victories. 

What is it that motivates Dan Saladino; journalist, broadcaster and author, to continue to tell stories of food?He has spent years producing and presenting BBC Radio 4's prestigious and long-running show The Food Programme, has made documentaries about food all over the world, and most recently has published an award-winning book."Eating to Extinction: The World's Rarest Foods and Why We Need to Save Them" has been picking up awards left, right, and centre since it was published, most recently picking up two prizes at the Guild of Food Writers Awards 2022.In this episodes of the Food Matters Live Podcast, Dan reveals how his passion for food, and the stories behind it, are inspired by his Sicilian roots.Not only because of the fantastic array of different foods he was exposed to at a time when UK cuisine left a little to be desired, but also because he saw first-hand just how central food was to people's lives and livelihoods.That drove him to a career telling stories about food, how it's made, who it's made by, and beyond.His book takes things a little further, exploring the foods that are disappearing from our plates and the planet, and explaining why he thinks it's vitally important that they are saved from complete extinction."We have had a success story in the last 100 or so years in producing calories," he says. But he points out that those calories are dependent on burning fossil fuels, and using large amounts of water and chemicals. "There have been unintended consequences."One of those consequences is a lack of diversity in the crops we grow. Dan uses the example of the Cavendish banana, which makes up almost the entirety of global banana exports.By relying on just one variety, the world's banana industry is at great risk as a single disease could wipe out global supply.That would be devastating for the banana industry, but we could be heading in the same direction with other crops, with even more dire consequences.Listen to the full episodes to find out what Dan thinks could save us from such an apocalyptic future, what keeps him going as a food journalist through an already glittering career, and after making hundreds of episodes of The Food Programme which one really sticks in his mind. Dan Saladino, Journalist, Broadcast, AuthorDan Saladino is a journalist and broadcaster. He makes programmes about food for BBC Radio 4 and BBC World Service. His work has been recognised by the Guild of Food Writers Awards, the Fortnum and Mason Food and Drink Awards, and in America by the James Beard Foundation. "Eating to Extinction" was awarded the 2019 Jane Grigson Trust Award. He lives in Cheltenham but his roots are Sicilian.

"You don't have to do what everyone else does. Really, really think about what you love in life."That's the advice from Helen Pattinson, co-founder of the hugely successful Montezuma's chocolate brand, in this episode of the Career Conversations podcast series.Helen started her working life as a lawyer, and enjoyed a successful career.But she says, she "didn't really know" what her passion was at the time.Whilst still working is a lawyer, she met her future husband and the pair decided to pack it all in and go travelling.It was whilst they were in Argentina that the idea of starting a chocolate brand first emerged.Helen says they were staying in a small town which had a whole host of chocolate shops."They can sustain all of these chocolate shops in this tiny little town," she says, "what have we got in the UK?"The couple drew up a business plan, returned to the UK, and opened their first shop in Brighton in the south of England.Listen to the full episode to find out about some of the setbacks they've had to overcome, how they managed to grow the business to the size it is today, and Helen reveals their biggest celebrity fan! Helen Pattinson, Co-founder, Montezuma'sAfter studying maths and business at university, Helen took another two years out to study and to train as a lawyer, starting a training contract in London in 1994.  She focussed on corporate and commercial law, and became fascinated by the businesses she acted for and how they funded their growth but often felt she was on the wrong side of the table.  She met her husband, Simon, working in the same law firm and very quickly they decided that they couldn’t see themselves continuing with their legal careers for much longer.  They decided to leave their jobs and embarked on a life-changing trip to South America where they came up with the idea for Montezuma’s when they were trekking in Argentina in 1999 and discovers a tiny town filled with chocolate shops.  Helen was hooked and determined to bring the ideas back to the UK where the chocolate offering on the UK high streets was incredibly unexciting.  Almost a year to the day that they returned from South America, they opened the doors to the first Montezuma’s store in Brighton.

When elite triathlete Justus Nieschlag suffered a partial rupture of his Achilles tendon, it couldn't have come at a worse time.The Tokyo Olympics in 2021, delayed by a year because of the Coronavirus pandemic, were just around the corner and the then 29-year-old was in pain."Knowing I couldn't perform as I would like and I couldn't train and race 100 per cent meant it was a really tough time for me," he tells Stefan Gates in this episode of the Food Matters Live Podcast, made in partnership with GELITA."You prepare for four years then it's like this. It was super hard and it was not a good time for me."Justus did compete at the Games, representing Germany in the Triathlon. Despite carrying the Achilles injury, he helped the team to an impressive sixth-placed finish in the team relay.But after the Games came the prospect of a long period of rehabilitation.  Profile: Justus Nieschlag Age: 30 Nationality: German Discipline: Triathlon Honours:  Germany’s middle-distance IRONMAN 70.3 Kraichgau record holder Five Arena Games podium finishes Represented Germany at the 2020 Summer Olympic Games, Tokyo Justus was told he had to stop running for three months. For context, he would usually have a two-week break at the end of the season, before returning to the track. The prospect of a complete break from running for at least 12 weeks was not a welcome one.Up until he suffered the partial rupture of his Achilles tendon, Justus admits that nutrition was "never a big part" of his thinking. That changed when his management team recommended he start working with GELITA and, in particular, their bioactive collagen peptide supplement. TENDOFORTE is designed to increase the health and quality of ligaments and tendons, which are made of collagen, decreasing the risk of injury and improving flexibility.Pre-clinical and clinical trials have shown the positive effects of TENDOFORTE. Bioactive Collagen Peptides at a Glance Bioactive collagen peptides are protein fragments with health-promoting properties GELITA Bioactive Collagen Peptides are optimized for specific physiological benefits They maximize stimulation of the human cell types involved in collagen biosynthesis GELITA applies a proprietary, carefully controlled process to obtain the beneficial peptides About 30 per cent of our total body protein is collagen. It is the primary structural protein of connective tissues. Collagen is crucial for mobile joints, stable bones, healthy muscles, strong tendons and ligaments.Suzane Leser, Nutritionist and Director of Nutrition Communication at GELITA, says strong tendons and ligaments contribute to the foundation of high physical performance and fast return-to-training in athletes. But it's not only elite sports people who need to be thinking about protecting their bodies in this way."We lose collagen at a rate of one or two per cent per year from around the age of 25," says Suzane. “We can slow down our collagen decline with this bioactive effect."Listen to the full episode to find out how quickly Justus recovered whilst using TENDOFORTE, how he thinks it helped in his rehabilitation, and learn more about the science behind the supplement. Download GELITA’s White Tissue Guide Justus Nieschlag, Professional triathlete, member of the German National TeamJustus is the current champion and new record holder of Germany’s middle-distance IRONMAN 70.3 Kraichgau.He is also set to become the most successful triathlete of all time in the Arena Games, having achieved five podium finishes since the inaugural event in Rotterdam 2020. This year, the Arena Games was the first eSport World Championship, with Justus finishing in second place.Alongside his ever-growing triathlon career, Justus is a licensed triathlon coach, with a BA in Sports Science, currently working hard also towards a Masters in Sports Science. Suzane Leser, Nutritionist and Director of Nutrition Communication at GELITASuzane is a sports nutritionist who built a career in the food industry dedicated to turning nutrition research into products that can make a real difference to the performance of athletes.At GELITA, Suzane promotes the fast-advancing science behind the use of specific bioactive collagen peptides and their potential to improve people’s quality of life, optimal health, and sports performance. GELITAGELITA is the world's leading supplier of collagen proteins for the food, health and nutrition, and pharmaceutical industries, and for numerous technical applications. ReferencesJerger et al. (2022) Effects of specific collagen peptide supplementation combined with resistance training on Achilles tendon properties. Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports 32:1131-1141. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/sms.14164Praet et al. (2019) Oral Supplementation of Specific Collagen Peptides Combined with Calf-Strengthening Exercises Enhances Function and Reduces Pain in Achilles Tendinopathy Patients. Nutrients 11:76. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/nu11010076Alcock et al. (2019) Bone Broth Unlikely to Provide Reliable Concentrations of Collagen Precursors Compared With Supplemental Sources of Collagen Used in Collagen Research. International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism 29:265-272. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1123/ijsnem.2018-0139Dressler et al. (2018) Improvement of Functional Ankle Properties Following Supplementation with Specific Collagen Peptides in Athletes with Chronic Ankle Instability. Journal of Sports Science and Medicine 17(2):298-304. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5950747/

The US is, of course, a huge player in the food industry and its influences are felt far and wide.From agricultural production, to processing, to fast food chains and advertising. And it’s home to some of the biggest food companies in the world.But is there such a thing as a defined American cuisine?Is it new world ingredients like corn, squash and beans, fast-food foods such as hamburgers, hotdogs and fries? Of course it is more than that, but how do you define it? Can it be defined?In such a vast country, both in terms of area and population, is there one dish that everyone identifies with?Paul Freedman is an expert on the subject and tells the Food Matters Live Podcast there are three elements to US food; Regional, Modern Industrial Food, and Variety.Listen to the full episode to hear about the different dishes that play a major role in the eating habits of Americans, why how and where you eat can be just as important as what you eat, and the important role of race and gender in defining US cuisine.Professor Freedman specialises in medieval social history, the history of Catalonia, comparative studies of the peasantry, trade in luxury products, and the history of cuisine. His latest book is Ten Restaurants That Changed America (Liveright/Norton, 2016).His other boooks include The Diocese of Vic: Tradition and Regeneration in Medieval Catalonia (1983); Origins of Peasant Servitude in Medieval Catalonia (1991); Images of the Medieval Peasant (1999); and two collections of essays: Church, Law and Society in Catalonia, 900-1500 and Assaigs d’historia de la pagesia catalana ( “Essays on the History of the Catalan Peasantry,” translated into Catalan); Out of the East: Spices and the Medieval Imagination.  A Fellow of the Medieval Academy of America, Freedman is also a corresponding fellow of the Real Academia de Buenas Letras de Barcelona and of the Institut d’Estudis Catalans. He is a member of the American Philosophical Society and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. His honors include a 2008 cookbook award (reference and technical) from the International Association of Culinary Professionals (for Food: The History of Taste) and three awards for Images of the Medieval Peasant: the Haskins Medal of the Medieval Academy (2002), the 2001 Otto Gründler prize given by the Medieval Institute at Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo, and the Eugene Kayden Award in the Humanities given by the University of Colorado. He won the American Historical Association’s Premio del Rey Prize in 1992 (for The Origins of Peasant Servitude in Medieval Catalonia) and shared the Medieval Academy’s Van Courtlandt Elliott prize for the best first article on a medieval topic in 1981.