The Food Programme

Could eating microalgae be the next big thing?


Listen Later

Sheila Dillon enters the murky green and bright blue world of microalgae and cynobacteria to meet the people who believe humble pond scum could be the secret to securing food for the world's growing population. She visits YeoTown Kitchen in West London where Mercedes Sieff serves up a platter of brightly coloured delights and then meets Andrew Spicer, CEO of Algenuity, who is exploring how microalgae could be an egg replacement of the future. Somehow, their conversation leads Sheila to make a green Victoria sponge. Away from the kitchen, Sheila tells the story of Saumil Shah who is growing spirulina on rooftops in Bangkok and Simon Perez who has been inventing hot dogs, crisps and salad dressings from spirulina in Copenhagen. She hears from one of the world's leading algae scientists, Professor Alison Smith, Head of Plant Sciences at the University of Cambridge, and nutritionist Rhiannon Lambert before finding out from Dr Gisela Detrell how microalgae could feed astronauts on missions to Mars.

Presenter: Sheila Dillon

Producer: Tom Bonnett
Photograph: Space10

...more
View all episodesView all episodes
Download on the App Store

The Food ProgrammeBy BBC Radio 4

  • 4.6
  • 4.6
  • 4.6
  • 4.6
  • 4.6

4.6

241 ratings


More shows like The Food Programme

View all
Global News Podcast by BBC World Service

Global News Podcast

7,773 Listeners

Business Daily by BBC World Service

Business Daily

527 Listeners

More or Less by BBC Radio 4

More or Less

893 Listeners

Newshour by BBC World Service

Newshour

1,068 Listeners

Woman's Hour by BBC Radio 4

Woman's Hour

401 Listeners

World Business Report by BBC World Service

World Business Report

305 Listeners

In Our Time by BBC Radio 4

In Our Time

5,475 Listeners

Friday Night Comedy from BBC Radio 4 by BBC Radio 4

Friday Night Comedy from BBC Radio 4

2,115 Listeners

Desert Island Discs by BBC Radio 4

Desert Island Discs

2,029 Listeners

Great Lives by BBC Radio 4

Great Lives

481 Listeners

Last Word by BBC Radio 4

Last Word

46 Listeners

Health Check by BBC World Service

Health Check

90 Listeners

Gardeners' Question Time by BBC Radio 4

Gardeners' Question Time

292 Listeners

The Food Chain by BBC World Service

The Food Chain

347 Listeners

Ramblings by BBC Radio 4

Ramblings

158 Listeners

The Life Scientific by BBC Radio 4

The Life Scientific

227 Listeners

All in the Mind by BBC Radio 4

All in the Mind

65 Listeners

The Kitchen Cabinet by BBC Radio 4

The Kitchen Cabinet

108 Listeners

Evil Genius with Russell Kane by BBC Sounds

Evil Genius with Russell Kane

370 Listeners

Have You Heard George's Podcast? by BBC Sounds

Have You Heard George's Podcast?

233 Listeners

Sliced Bread by BBC Radio 4

Sliced Bread

128 Listeners

Elis James and John Robins by BBC Radio 5 Live

Elis James and John Robins

328 Listeners

Good Food by Good Food

Good Food

42 Listeners

You're Dead to Me by BBC Radio 4

You're Dead to Me

3,224 Listeners

Sport's Strangest Crimes by BBC Radio 5 Live

Sport's Strangest Crimes

67 Listeners

Uncanny by BBC Radio 4

Uncanny

840 Listeners

Lady Killers with Lucy Worsley by BBC Radio 4

Lady Killers with Lucy Worsley

556 Listeners

Believe in Magic by BBC Sounds

Believe in Magic

624 Listeners

The Global Story by BBC World Service

The Global Story

356 Listeners

Miss Me? by BBC Sounds

Miss Me?

268 Listeners

The History Podcast by BBC Radio 4

The History Podcast

61 Listeners

Rory Stewart: The Long History of... by BBC Radio 4

Rory Stewart: The Long History of...

76 Listeners

What's Up Docs? by BBC Radio 4

What's Up Docs?

107 Listeners

The History Bureau by BBC

The History Bureau

1 Listeners