Cooked fish along a riverbank with scientists taking water samples, illustrating the forensic investigation into a mysterious thermal die-off
The Day Thousands of Fish Turned Up Cooked: A Forensic Food Science Mystery
When fish in the Magdalena River were found perfectly cooked, investigators turned to geology, chemistry, and thermal forensics to uncover the truth. Read more...
Bioreactor vessels and cultured fat samples in a laboratory, illustrating the molecular engineering behind the lab-grown fat revolution.
Inside the Lab-Grown Fat Revolution: Rebuilding Animal Fat Molecule by Molecule
Animal fat is incredibly hard to replicate. Now labs are engineering its melting curves, aroma pathways, and even creating new fatty molecules nature never made. Read more...
WWII ration tin containing a still-intact jelly block being examined under laboratory lighting, illustrating the mystery of its long-term preservation
The Jelly That Survived a World War: The Strange Science Behind an Unspoiled Ration
When a wartime jelly ration was found nearly pristine after decades, scientists began searching for the chemical quirks that helped it outlive a world war. Read more...
Microscopic view of unfolded milk proteins alongside a UHT processing line, illustrating how shelf-stable milk is transformed under extreme heat.
The Secret Life of Shelf-Stable Milk: What UHT Processing Really Does
UHT milk can sit for months unrefrigerated, but its stability comes from intense heat that rewrites the structure of milk at the molecular level. Here’s the science. Read more...
Commercial loaf of bread remaining mold-free beside a moldy homemade loaf, illustrating the chemical and environmental factors behind shelf stability.
The Bread That Refuses to Mold: The Science Behind Shelf-Stable Loaves
Some commercial loaves stay soft and spotless for weeks. Here’s the real science—preservatives, packaging, and food engineering—that makes them resist mold. Read more...
Close-up of a chef applying transglutaminase powder to merge two pieces of meat into a seamless cut, illustrating the science behind ‘meat glue.
The Enzyme That Makes Meat “Melt”: The Science of Culinary Transglutaminase
Transglutaminase, often called “meat glue,” is one of the most misunderstood yet influential enzymes in modern cuisine. Here’s how it reshaped culinary science. Read more...