Jimmy's Food Factory - 2. What's in My Sandwich?

In this entertaining new science series, farmer Jimmy Doherty tries to discover what really goes into supermarket food. To do this he takes a surprising and novel approach - he sets up his own food factory in a barn.

In this episode Jimmy asks, 'What's really in my sandwich?'. He attempts to discover what they do to supermarket bread to make it stay soft for over a week, while home-baked bread goes stale and rock hard after just a few days.

He wonders why square processed cheese slices are so popular - can it really be because they are so conveniently bread shaped? Why do they melt differently to 'normal cheese'? And if processed cheese only contains 60% cheese, what are the other ingredients?

To copy the factory processes Jimmy makes supermarket bread in a metal dustbin, and square processed cheese slices using a tin bucket and an electric drill.

To complete his investigation Jimmy leaves the barn to find out how one bagged-salad producer in Wiltshire goes to herculean efforts to ensure we never find a caterpillar or bug in our bag, and how waste bananas are being used in Hertfordshire to grow tomatoes out of season. (R)

Broadcast on:

BBC HD, 4:05pm Saturday 31st October 2009

First broadcast:

Wednesday 28th October 2009

Duration:

30 minutes

Available until:

7:59pm Wednesday 2nd December 2009

Categories:

• Audio Described,
• Sign Zone,
• Factual,
• Food & Drink,
• Science & Nature