Edible Innovations

Some cooks like to pound their steak with a mallet. Other adventurous souls have tenderized meat with explosives. Why does a pineapple work just as well?

By Tom Scheve

Crunchy crust, soft, spongy middle -- there's something about fresh-baked bread. Have you ever thought about bread as a technology? Learn about the biochemical reactions that make bread taste so good!

By Marshall Brain

Who doesn't love a smooth, creamy bar of chocolate? The process to make one is pretty tricky, but sooo worth it.

By Shanna Freeman & Alia Hoyt

Tired of hearing about things like monounsaturated fats, partially hydrogenated oils and trans fatty acids and not knowing a thing about any of them? Find out what you need to know here.

By Marshall Brain

Because sustenance ensures our survival, food preservation is one of the oldest technologies developed by human beings. Find out what's being done to your food to make it last longer.

By Marshall Brain

Ever wonder what, exactly, you are putting in your body when you eat? Would you like to know the real difference between a "fat" and a "carb"? Learn all about food and how your body uses it!

By Marshall Brain

In an age of health-conscious consumers, low-carb diets and bottled water, one snack has stood the test of time. Twinkies are an icon of junk-food snacks and guilty pleasures, nutritionally worthless yet irresistibly yummy.

By Ed Grabianowski

Water and vitamins help keep us alive and healthy. So if you put the vitamins in the water, wouldn't you be even healthier? Check out Glaceau's Vitaminwater and see if it really does what it claims to do.

By John Fuller

Spam has been inspiring obsession and revulsion since the Great Depression. What exactly makes people so passionate about it?

By Ed Grabianowski

Tea, the second-most consumed beverage in the world, has its own culture and customs. Learn more about different kinds of tea and how the process of preparing tea works.

By John Fuller

Not only do we need to consume salt, we also need it for a variety of nonfood uses. But if it's so important, why do health organizations recommend that we closely watch our intake? Apparently, there can be too much of a good thing. Learn what happens when we overload on salt or get too little of it.

By Shanna Freeman

People have strong opinions about pizza -- in terms of passion, it ranks right up there with politics and religion. How did this Italian peasant food become a diet staple?

By Alia Hoyt

A February 2008 blast at a sugar refining plant near Savannah, Ga., killed at least six people. Investigators believe the accident occurred when sugar dust exploded.

By Josh Clark

Although it's fairly easy to make at home or pick up at your local grocery store, ice cream is actually a very complex substance. Learn what goes into ice cream, how it's made and who invented it.

By Ed Grabianowski

Sushi is much more than raw fish. Learn about types of sushi, where it came from, how to make it at home and what it's like to visit a sushi bar.

By Ed Grabianowski

Many dieters use artificial sweeteners as a way to cut sugar without eliminating all things sweet. But did you know that some artificial sweeteners have almost as many calories as sugar? Find out how artificial sweeteners work.

By Lee Ann Obringer

It's a great pick-me-up in the morning and a perfect finish to a good meal. Ever think about trying to make this stuff at home? Find out what espresso actually is and how to make a perfect shot every time.

By Madeline Bullock

Energy drinks are everywhere, but how exactly are they supposed to give you energy? What's really in them, and are they safe? Find out.

By Stephanie Watson

Moonshining has evolved from backwood stills in the South. In fact, it's downright trendy in some bars. But, why is homebrewing and winemaking legal, but not distilling your own moonshine?

By Ed Grabianowski & Melanie Radzicki McManus

Cotton candy is a fluffy mass of sugary delight and a popular carnival treat that's been exciting children for more than a century. But how does cotton candy get its fine, downy texture?

By Christine Venzon

It's almost like making food out of air.

By Tracy Staedter

After the success of craft breweries, it was perhaps inevitable that moonshine would get its own day in the sun. But while you can make both beer and whiskey at home, there are some major differences between them - starting with legality.

By Laurie L. Dove

Sure, novelty foods can seem gimmicky sometimes, but color-changing ice cream is a treat that's fun for your taste buds and your eyes. Learn the chemistry behind the confection - it's sweeter than you think.

By Nicholas Gerbis

Surprisingly, the date stamped on your unopened can of tuna doesn't really have much to do with how safe it is to eat. So what does it mean, and how can you decide whether to eat it or chuck it?

By Laurie L. Dove

Beer is quickly becoming a trendy mixer for more adventurous cocktail drinkers. However, this acidic ingredient doesn't always play well with others. Why can't beer and milk just get along?

By Laurie L. Dove