Food Science

Hopefully the new repellents will smell better too!

The Secret Behind New Insect Repellent's Potent Punch Is Found in Grapefruit

The EPA just approved nootkatone, a chemical found in grapefruit and cedars that kills and repels ticks, mosquitoes and other insects

Scientists have isolated the gene the makes the Australian fruit immune to a devastating disease plaguing American citrus.

How the Australian Finger Lime Could Save American Citrus

Scientists found the gene that makes finger limes impervious to a disease turning oranges green and bitter

That's a lot of hot dogs!

How Many Hot Dogs Can a Person Eat in Ten Minutes?

83 hot dogs might be the human limit—but only after specific training to stretch the stomach

Swiss researchers have developed a prototype of iridescent chocolate

Thanks to Physics, This Chocolate Is Iridescent—and Safe to Eat

One Twitter user and Swiss researchers have created chocolate that diffracts light like a prism

Rutabagas are a cross between turnips and cabbages first described in 1620

France Is Slowly Bringing Back Its 'Forgotten Vegetables'

Root vegetables like rutabagas and Jerusalem artichokes were ration staples during the Nazi occupation of Paris

As many home bakers who have only recently taken up sourdough making have found out, some starters are, well, non-starters.

What Does Your Sourdough Starter Smell Like? Science Wants to Know

A citizen science project aims to chart the microbial diversity present in starters all over the world

Fragments of a large early Neolithic vessel that was likely used to process meat stew

Traces of Millennia-Old Milk Help Date Pottery Fragments to Neolithic London

These dairy products are no longer edible, but they're still valuable to researchers

"A Peep into the Life of a Data Scientist"

Poo-Sniffing Peeps, Miss Ameripeep and More Emerge Victorious in #PeepYourScience 2020 Competition

Blending marshmallows with scientific rigor, the contest offers levity during a difficult time

The Puratos Sourdough Library in St. Vith, Belgium, uses refrigerated cabinets to slow the starters' fermentation process in order to preserve their original flavor.

Take a Virtual Tour of This Belgian Sourdough Library

Sourdough librarian Karl De Smedt has traveled the world to gather more than 120 jars of starters

Google searches for terms like "sourdough," "bread recipe" and "banana bread" skyrocketed in the middle of March.

The World's Oldest Leavened Bread Is Rising Again

This is the story behind the breads you might be baking in lockdown

A crew harvesting grapes in Glottertal, Germany, on January 18, 2016. Temperatures must drop below 19 degrees Fahrenheit to harvest. In the final winter months of 2019, it was not cold enough to pick grapes in most vineyards.

A Warm Winter Left Germany Unable to Produce Its Famed Ice Wines

Known for their sweet flavor, ice wines are made from grapes left to freeze on the vine

A mathematical model suggests coarser grinds might make for better, more consistent espresso with a lower price tag.

Mathematically Speaking, You’re Probably Grinding Your Espresso Too Finely

The secret to consistently tasty, cost-effective espresso is a coarser grind, according to mathematical models

Engineered with genes that boost its beta-carotene content, golden rice (top) comes with a yellowish hue that makes it stand out from typical white rice (bottom)

Golden Rice Approved as Safe for Consumption in the Philippines

The genetically modified crop could help combat the country’s vitamin A deficiency

(Clockwise from left) Michela Puddu, Elias Sime, Richard Yim and Miranda Wang

Eight Innovators to Watch in 2020

From plastic recycling pioneers to landmine foes, these dreamers have big plans for the coming year

These gene-edited tomatoes grow in grape-like clusters, rather than on long vines.

Gene-Edited Tomatoes Grow in Bunches Like Grapes, Making Them Ideal for Urban Farming

Growing food in urban environments could have important implications for sustainability—if we can produce crops that thrive in tight spaces

The Cosmic Crisp apple

Meet 'Cosmic Crisp,' a New Hybrid Apple That Stays Fresh for a Year

Proponents have called it "the Beyoncé of apples"

Potato harvest are down, but french fry demand is up.

Poor Potato Crops Could Lead to a North American French Fry Shortage

Say it isn't so

The Ten Best Books About Food of 2019

These titles are bound to satisfy your cravings for delicious dishes and food knowledge

Food, Glorious Food

Smithsonian magazine's coverage of food, drink and their role in our culture

Scientists at the University of Central Florida have modeled a path toward self-sufficiency for one million settlers of Mars over the course of 100 Earth years.

What Will Humans Eat on Mars?

Planetary scientist Kevin Cannon talks about the logistics of feeding a population of one million on the Red Planet

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