Berlin (ots) - A recent study by Wageningen University & Research, Netherlands, analysed the fate of compostable packaging in an industrial composting plant. The results show that the tested EN13432 certified products break down within a...

With each bite you take in a new place, you enter a story shaped by climate, migration and local resources that define regional cooking. You will notice how staple ingredients-rice in Asia, maize in the Americas, wheat in the Mediterranean-anchor daily meals and how preservation methods like drying, fermenting and smoking reflect both necessity and creativity. You should explore how technique matters: the precision of Japanese knife work, the slow braises of French cuisine, the high-heat wok tossing of Chinese stir-fries and the open-fire roasting common across African and South American kitchens. Technique transmits values about time, community and the relationship between cook and ingredients. Your palate will be guided by...

Christopher Damman, University of Washington - People have been using salt since the dawn of civilization to process, preserve and enhance foods. In ancient Rome, salt was so central to commerce that soldiers were paid their “salarium,” or salaries, in salt, for instance. Salt’s value was in part as a food preservative, keeping unwanted microbes at bay while allowing desired ones to grow. It was this remarkable ability to regulate bacterial growth that likely helped spark the development of fermented foods ranging from sauerkraut to salami, olives to bread, cheese to kimchi. Today, salt has become ubiquitous and highly concentrated in increasingly processed diets. The evidence has mounted that too much...

Culinary foundations give you the language and confidence to follow recipes, improvise, and master techniques in your own kitchen. By learning common terms and hands-on methods, you can decode instructions like mise en place, al dente or fold so you know exactly what action to take and when to...

Just by choosing where your food comes from, you shape the environmental and social footprint of every meal you eat or serve. You start with understanding that "farm to table" means more than proximity: it means sourcing with attention to seasonality, soil health, animal welfare, and fair pay for producers....