Food ‘Science’ and Trickery: What’s the point?

In 2022, the phrase “tech and tricks” (keji yu hen huo er) became a viral sensation. Driven by the exaggerated claims of social media influencers, consumers began to pay closer attention once again to the additives hidden in their daily food—not the blatantly harmful illegal ones like Sudan Red or plasticisers, but the additives that are “legal, yet unnecessary”.

In this episode, two hosts from Foodthink invite guest Sun Lin to join us in discussing this topic.

Soy sauce can be made without a single soybean; a simple slice of white toast can contain over ten different additives… Artificial materials used for preservation, seasoning, colouring, flavouring, and texturing work in tandem to “simulate” the appearance of natural food.

However, before the rise of the food industry, people achieved similar results through cooking and fermentation. Following the creation of the first granule of MSG (monosodium glutamate), those long, labour-intensive natural processes—such as fermentation and the simmering of stocks—were replaced by simpler, cheaper alternatives.

Replacing slow maturation with instant concentration, and using intense flavours to soothe the immense pressures of daily life—is this the inevitable destination of a human society that has developed so rapidly over the last century? And are we aware of the price we pay for this substitution?

For those of us caught in the relentless pace of modern life, could taking a moment to read an ingredient list be an opportunity to break free from the “social clock” and rediscover ourselves? Perhaps this episode will offer some unexpected inspiration.

GUEST

Sun Lin

A researcher of traditional dietary culture and organic eating, food critic, and columnist. Sun Lin is a senior consultant for organic food production and catering enterprises, and the founder of the “Zen Kitchen” public platform. Through writing, talks, interactive salons, and food design, she shares her research to inspire others, providing organic growers, restaurant owners, chefs, food processors, and consumers with product evaluations, adjustment strategies, cultural inspiration, culinary insights, and unique creative ideas, enabling them to showcase their own brilliance and the beauty of natural food within their respective roles.

HOSTS

Wan Lin

Member of Foodthink. She rarely eats out, spends most of her time in the kitchen, and avoids takeaways as much as possible. Raised on her mother’s home-cooked meals, she now has 15 years of cooking experience. She enjoys exploring “how to make it taste better” and “how to make it easier”.

Xiao Jing

Producer of Food Talk. A former business journalist who has interviewed Michelin-starred chefs, she now hopes to return to the roots of food to see the world more holistically. A change she’s made in the last couple of years is that she now carefully reads the ingredient lists when buying food.

TIMELINE

03:02 What exactly are food additives? A look at illegal additives and the growing concern over those that are “legal, yet unnecessary”.06:39 Why are additives actually needed in our food? When sweetness, umami, colour, and texture can all be simulated, everything suddenly seems cheaper and more convenient.07:58 Soy sauce concocted from additives often contains not a single soybean; standard supermarket white toast is impossible to make without a dozen different additives. This is the industrial trickery born from the immense demands of a mass-industrialised society.

19:26 The butterfly effect of food additives: how MSG, invented in Japan, found its way into recipes during the Republic of China era. A single spoonful could replicate the richness of a slow-simmered stock, rendering the painstaking efforts of traditional chefs redundant.

22:09 Why has a preference for bold, spicy flavours swept across the nation in recent decades?

27:00 A discussion on sugar substitutes: originally developed for those with specific medical needs, do they pose health risks now that they have entered the mainstream diet?

32:26 While legal additives may be harmless in themselves, their unrestrained overuse can lead to serious issues.

37:22 The craving for bold flavours is more than just a preference; it is a way for individuals to release stress and a reflection of our fast-paced society.

44:19 With limited energy and resources on Earth, but an ever-growing population, is “adding” our only option?

50:09 In our daily lives, taking a moment to check the ingredients list helps grow our “food intelligence” alongside our life experience.

56:42 A standardised “social clock” imposes a one-size-fits-all lifestyle, ignoring the differences between individuals. It is time to find our own rhythm and begin “rediscovering ourselves” through the way we eat.