The science of food – Page 10
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PodcastMyristicin
The spice that gives your Christmas eggnog its distinctive taste and aroma is also a toxic narcotic that played an important role in international history
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ResearchFipronil responsible for historic honeybee die-off
Researchers conclude the mass death of honeybees in 1990s France was caused by the pesticide fipronil, not a neonicotinoid
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PodcastTin chlorides
The compounds that put the 'tin' in tin cans and help you to reflect on your appearance
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FeatureA taste of wine chemistry
Nina Notman talks to the wine detectives uncovering the flavour molecules in our favourite tipples
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PodcastPropanethial-S-oxide: how chopping onions makes you cry
Kat Arney’s investigation of the pungent chemical in onions is enough to bring tears to your eyes
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WhitepaperTesting for mosquito repellent residue
High-quality reference materials advance analyses, save time, and reduce costs
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FeatureThe marvellous Maillard reaction
Andy Extance looks at the culinary reaction cascade that goes beyond Christmas and Thanksgiving dinner and has worrying links to health
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ResearchCatalytic fix for nitrogen fixation
Single-atom ruthenium catalyst doubles efficiency of electrochemical reduction of nitrogen to ammonia
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PodcastFuranocoumarin
Florence Schechter discovers how a seemingly healthy grapefruit-based breakfast could disrupt your daily drugs
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ResearchPlastic packaging waste upcycled into technical materials
Process takes on plastic recycling challenge by turning food packing into heat conducting and electromagnetic shielding material
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ResearchUsed cooking oil helps weed out fertiliser pollution
Inverse vulcanisation used to turn waste canola oil into controlled-release fertiliser
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PodcastPhenolphthalein
Kat Arney gets to the bottom of the story of phenolphthalein – a chemical with two very different uses. If you've measured pH in a classroom or had some trouble in the bathroom, you may have met this compound before.
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ArticleInstrumental innovators
Advanced mass spectrometry can help protect consumers from contaminants in food
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NewsPentagon’s pursuit of insect-delivered genetic modification of crops prompts warnings
French and German scientists worry that Darpa programme may violate the biological weapons convention and inadvertently start a new arms race
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NewsCrispr-edited crop research could be crippled by European court ruling
Warnings that European court’s decision will setback crop biotechnology for a decade
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CareersThe analytical referee
Julian Braybrook on taking up his role as the UK’s government chemist
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NewsFood agency wades into Californian coffee cancer labels controversy
US body speaks out against ruling that may force cancer warnings on coffee sold in the state due to acrylamide
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NewsA taste of why successful salt substitutes remain so elusive
Salty taste’s unique chemistry has stymied the search for an effective salt alternative, and a more realistic goal might be a salty taste enhancer
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OpinionFeeding the confusion
When it comes to working out what foods do to our bodies, mostly we just don’t know