How scientists are transforming plastic waste into food-safe ingredients I don’t think I need to explain to you that we have a plastic problem. But, if you’re a numbers person, every year we produce 359 million tons of plastic with 150–200 million of those tons ending up in landfills. …

Solving the banana family tree might just save the fruit — Have you ever noticed that banana-flavored candy never tastes like the bananas you buy at the grocery store? This isn’t due to bad flavoring or terrible product development. No. The truth is that most banana candy was based on a different banana species — the Gros Michel — which is…

The forecast includes a rise in fermented foods, nostalgia, and sweetness — Being a food scientist is freakin’ awesome. I’m constantly in awe of the new flavors and innovative foods some of my closest friends launch into the market. Going to the grocery store for me is like a college reunion featuring all my classmates. In the yogurt section, I always think…

Here’s exactly what you’re doing wrong (or right) — I studied ice cream for my PhD, which I thought was pretty cool until I came across this lab that was investigating the best way to drink Champagne. That’s when I got a little jealous. The researchers tested different techniques to see which were ideal for keeping your bubbly…well… bubbly…

From candies that killed to beer that made you bleed — Close your eyes and imagine a food supply where more than half the candy is laced with poisons known to cause severe ailments like intellectual disabilities, seizures, a coma, and death. Now, stop because you don’t actually have to imagine this. This is the status of the American food system…

Poisonous cakes, tainted spices, and deadly milk Many of us have a rosy picture of what food looked like in the past. Families with farm fresh meat, milk, and eggs. An abundance of nutritious, wholesome food. But that’s not the full story. Or the truth. Because it’s only relatively…

A look into the tingle and sting of bubbly beverages — Do you have a dog? If you do, try this experiment. Replace your dog’s still water with sparkling water and see what happens… Okay, maybe don’t try this at home because I don’t want to be bombarded with messages about animal welfare, so let me just spoil the answer for…

A simple explanation of how bioengineered foods are different, yet the same as genetically modified food — Have you noticed the word “bioengineered” or the new bioengineered symbol on your foods? Don’t freak out — both the Food and Drug Administration and National Academy of Science have said these foods are safe to eat. If you haven’t noticed though, you probably need to look closer because…

There’s a clear winner here — Alright, the number of plant-based milks is clearly getting out of control. There’s so many choices that it’s hard to know which options are best nutrition-wise, or at least comparable to cow’s milk, and which ones are just a waste of money and calories. So, I decided it’s time to…