The Food Chain

BBC World Service•www.bbc.co.uk

The Food Chain examines the business, science and cultural significance of food, and what it takes to put food on your plate.

Last refreshed: June 25th, 2026 at 7:10 AM

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Episodes

Food and the Fall of the Berlin Wall

As politics changes does our food follow suit? We hear how food tastes and names have altered according to the politics of the day. Mangalitsa for example - a type of hairy pig - fell out of favour in communist times in Hungary, but is now back on the menu as a premium dish. In China Kung Po chicken became known as Hongbao Jiding or Hula Jiding during the Cultural Revolution because it originally derived its name from an imperial official. And 25 years after the fall of the Berlin Wall, the Domk...

Nov 14, 2014•26 min

Why Do We Waste So Much Food?

About a third of what’s produced for human consumption isn’t eaten. We look at why the food we grow doesn’t always make it to our plate. It's not just the leftovers from a big meal. There are many ways that food gets wasted along the supply chain: the wheat that escapes the thresher, the apple that rolls off the truck on the way to the factory, or the tomatoes that rot while they are waiting to be sold. In emerging markets like China and India, attitudes toward food waste are changing. Elsewhere...

Nov 07, 2014•26 min

Super Foods or Super Fads?

Kale, quinoa, chia, blueberries, all members of a group of foods that have been around for a while, but have seen a sudden surge in global popularity. These so-called super foods are touted for their health benefits, but does their popularity stem from genuine science or robust marketing? Many super foods are grown in developing countries but have seen a rising popularity among consumers in the global north. Angela Saini explores what happens to a country when the local superfood becomes a globa...

Oct 31, 2014•26 min

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