Food Science

A Japanese museum showcases the science of food, including

the quality control aspect of mass-produced food, and only that aspect. McDonald’s food has to taste the same every time you have it, wherever you are. In a way, they are one of the most conscientious at maintaining this level of standards – so they are the best example to show this aspect of food science. ... They have colour chips for lettuce, you know? So if a lettuce leaf is between shades one and three, you cannot use it. All the lettuce needs to be from colours four and five, or else you cannot use it. ...

the physics of texture, and chocolate has a lot of innovation when it comes to texture: melting points and tongue-feel, and some have bubbles and different shapes. There’s a lot of physics going on there. ...

MSG (monosodium glutamate) [is] an extract of sugar cane. ... this totem explains how it’s made, and shows that it is 100% made of natural ingredients. The process is chemical, of course – if you’re extracting molecules, that’s scientific. It’s up to you still if you want to use it or not, but it is extracted from natural products, so the question is about what is natural and what is not, and whether “natural” foods are always safe.