The way we produce, cook and eat our food is intricately interwoven with the history of Science, Invention and Nature.

This SINergy explores how the culture of food has changed over time, how scientific developments influence what we eat and how our diet impacts on nature and the environment.

Food fashions have changed through history and some foods which used to be popular, such as mistletoe and eel  – both of which were regularly consumed in Britain at different times - no longer make a regular appearance at dinner time. In other instances, people’s desires to eat certain food products have far-reaching consequences for wildlife and the environment. Demand for caviar and bushmeat is so high that the wild animals that produce them have been driven to the edge of extinction.

Our relationship with food is becoming ever more complex, both scientifically and culturally. Genetically modified foods are not only a scientific innovation but also a political hot potato. Meanwhile, issues of body image dominate many people’s lives and affect the way they eat. In some cases, this can lead to eating disorders such as anorexia nervosa.

Mistletoe at The Natural History Museum

Nowadays, mistletoe is famous as the innocuous plant under which people traditionally kiss at Christmas. But historically this curious plant, with its milky-white berries, was credited with extraordinary powers and frequently eaten. In the Middle Ages, early herbalists believed that it was capable of rescuing epileptics from their trances, curing tumours and keeping witches at bay. But the role of mistletoe in human history extends back even further than that. Lindow Man, the bog body sometimes also known as ‘Pete Marsh’, died in Cheshire, England, in the first century AD, the time of the Druids. He was about 25 years old at the time and the violent manner of his death strongly suggests that he was sacrificed as part of a ritual. Before being killed he drank a drink containing mistletoe. The Druids are known for having carried out human sacrifices and also for revering mistletoe as a sacred plant – something to think about next Christmas.

European Eels at The Natural History Museum

Changing food fashions can have huge knock-on effects for the species eaten and the environment. One food which used to be a dietary staple for working class Londoners, but has since gone out of fashion, is the jellied eel. These snake-like flavourful fish, set in gelatine and splashed with spicy vinegar, were sold from stalls all over the East End of London and often washed down with a cup of the glutinous liquid in which they had been stewed. Eel pie was also a popular dish. The species which supplied this trade was the European eel which lives in lakes and rivers throughout Britain until it reaches sexual maturity. Then it heads off on a long journey to the Sargasso Sea to spawn and then die. If eels were as popular today as they were historically, their population might well be in danger.

Beluga sturgeon at ARKive

The desire for some foods can drive prices up to exorbitant levels. Beluga sturgeon are worth a fortune because their large, nutritious roe, or eggs, are highly-prized by caviar connoisseurs. Bizarre looking, primitive looking fish, Belugas can live for 100 years, grow to 5 metres in length and weigh as much as 2,000 kg. Females require up to 18 years to mature and begin producing roe which is why their population is so vulnerable to extinction. The great demand for their caviar and the fortunes which can be made in this industry have led to relentless fishing, widespread poaching and the development of black markets. A recent survey of Beluga in the Caspian Sea, the population reputed to produce the most exquisite caviar, recorded only 28 individuals, an extremely worrying figure.

Drill and the bushmeat trade at ARKive

The drill, a large, short-tailed, olive brown forest baboon, is one of the most endangered of all African primates. It has suffered greatly in recent years, largely as a result of habitat loss, and now faces the additional pressure of relentless hunting for its meat which is prized for its sweet taste. The incessant logging of the lush tropical rainforest it inhabits exacerbates the problem because cleared forests allow hunters greater access. These monkeys forage on the ground and at lower levels in the trees, in close range of the hunters’ guns. Furthermore, their noisy calls attract hunters while their large group sizes mean several can be shot during a single encounter. Hunting for bushmeat was once a practice that supported forest peoples and was effectively sustainable. Now it has become commercial. Rural communities supply urban dwellers who prefer the meat of wild animals. If drastic steps are not taken, the drill may be eaten to extinction.

How well have the media covered GM food? At Y Touring

Genetically modified tomato plant Credit: Science Museum/Science ; Society Picture Library

“With the conspicuous exception of two newspapers…the media have covered genetically modified foods in an extraordinarily unbalanced fashion.” So asserts Dr Bernard Dixon. He goes on to reveal how the British media have, in the interests of sensationalism, distorted the facts and given free rein to hyperbole and hysteria. By detailing these facts, Dr Dixon also presents a clear and concise explanation of what GM foods are, and what they are not.

The ethical and religious implications of plant genetics at Y Touring

Reverend Dr Michael Reiss asks, and answers, seven key questions about the genetic engineering of plants. In his answers, he offers a carefully thought out, informed and well-balanced account of such crucial issues as: isn’t genetic engineering ‘playing God’, are these new crops safe to eat, and, will new crop varieties feed the world? Dr Reiss’ views throw light on the relationship between science, religion, and ethics in modern society.

Body image at the Science Museum

Do modern diets fuel our obsession with body image? Credit: Science Museum/Science & Society Picture Library

What we eat has always been heavily influenced not only by what’s available but also by the culture we live in. And it’s not just what we eat, but what we don’t eat that counts. In societies where the majority of people have enough to eat, body image has long been important. In the west many peoples’ lives, particularly those of women, have been heavily influenced by their body image and the desire to be thin. At other times and in other places, plumpness has been considered attractive. Both diets such as Weight Watchers, and an increasing body of knowledge about nutrition and public health, have shaped the way we eat.

An introduction to the 'eating disorders' at Y Touring

Eating disorders are a form of psychiatric illness. The most well-known are anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa. Professor Christopher G Fairburn reviews current thinking on these prolific, and sometimes life-threatening, disorders. He describes their symptoms, and evaluates risk factors and causes – what sort of people are prone to experiencing an eating disorder? Professor Fairburn then considers the different types of treatment available to patients.