Royal Institution Christmas Lectures

The Truth About Food: When Food Goes Wrong (2005x4)

: 29, 2005

We uncover the hidden and not so hidden dangers that might lurk in our food and explode some of the myths that surround these risks. Are you or any of your friends allergic to one kind of food or another? Perhaps as many as one in ten children has a food allergy and allergies can sometimes kill. What happens when people react to food with an allergy? Why is food allergy apparently on the increase? Have you ever suffered a bout of food poisoning? We take a look at that two-month old piece of cheese you find at the back of the fridge. It's covered in blue mould. It may look unappetising but is it dangerous? What are the microbes in food that could harm you? How do they get there? If you get food poisoning you might throw up: why does the body react like this? Food is made up of chemicals but you often read that 'chemicals in food' are dangerous, whether they are pesticide residues or artificial colours or flavourings added to our food. What is the truth behind this?