Every season of Food Unwrapped ever, ranked from best to worst by thousands of votes from fans of the show. The best seasons of Food Unwrapped!

Kate Quilton travels to Swaziland to find out how they get tinned grapefruit so perfect, and, in Finland, Matt Tebbutt discovers exactly what the bacteria are in Probiotics.

Grapefruit and Probiotics

Kate and Matt investigate the wax on our lemons in Spain and Thailand, and Matt gets the real story behind formed ham here in the UK.

Lemons and Ham

This episode explores how prawns are intensively farmed and discovers why there are often so few wild mushrooms in our wild mushroom soups. Kate flies to Thailand - the world's biggest producer of farmed prawns - to get a sense of the scale of the industry, and Matt meets a professional wild mushroom forager in the woods of West Sussex.

Prawns and Mushrooms

This episode explores the difference between green and black olives, and why not everything that goes into beer processing is listed in the ingredients. Matt travels to South Africa to visit one of the country's largest olive orchards in the Western Cape, where he discovers that black olives are just riper green olives, but that both need a year's soaking in brine to make them edible. In Spain, Kate is shown how mass production factories make super black olives found in pizza and salads. And Matt heads to a small brewery near Belfast to discover if it really is just water, hops, barley and wheat in beer.

Olives and Beer

The team head to Thailand to find out what seafood goes into seafood sticks, and then discover how some British wine is really made... in Spain. In a seafood stick factory in Thailand Kate sees some incredible production techniques and giant frozen blocks of fish called surimi. Confusingly, there are two types of domestically produced wines: British and English. British wine is much cheaper, so what's the difference?

Seafood Sticks and Wine

Kate Quilton heads to Spain to find out how pure squeezed, not-from-concentrate orange juice is really made, and how 'fresh' it is. The team then travel around the UK to find out what is used to replace the fat in low-fat mayonnaise, and discover it's a bacteria that usually grows on rotting cabbages.

Orange Juice and Mayonnaise

Kate Quilton travels to Holland to find out how manufacturers prevent tomatoes in packaged sandwiches from going soggy, and the team investigates the production of strawberry-flavoured food. Matt Tebbutt and Rachel Edwards-Stuart try to make yoghurt with the average amount of the fruit used in supermarket-own brands - 10 per cent - but the results are disappointing, while Martin Dickie visits the Nestle Rowntree factory to learn about the concentrated strawberry flavour used in their pastilles.

Tomatoes and Strawberry Flavour

Matt Tebbutt travels to Sweden to learn how a food company uses liquid smoke to flavour sausages, a method that is cheaper and quicker and enables flavours to be tailored more effectively. The Food Standards Agency requires that ice-cream needs to contain milk protein and any kind of fat - vegetable being the one most commonly used. Martin Dickie and James Watt head to Brighton beach with an old-fashioned bicycle adorned with banners saying `Ice Vegetable Oil'. What will the public make of this product?

Sausages and Ice-Cream

The team ask: is mouldy bread safe to eat? Kate's on the trail of the chicken that goes into a Kiev. And Matt is puzzled: how can supermarkets sell English summer apples in the middle of winter?

Mouldy Bread, Chicken Kiev and Apples

Jimmy Doherty asks: what exactly is in a doner kebab? Meanwhile, Kate Quilton wants to find out the safest way of eating oysters. And finally, Matt Tebbutt learns about the amazing ingredient that comes in every bottle of that classic English tipple gin.

Kebab, Oysters and Gin

The team ask: Why are cashew nuts never on the supermarket shelf in their shells? What exactly is scampi? Does expensive salt taste different to cheap salt?

Cashew, Scampi and Salt

Jimmy, Kate and Matt ask how much cow is in a beef stock cube, how cornflakes are made, and what exactly processed cheese is.

Beef Stock, Processed Cheese and Corn Flakes

How is caffeine removed from coffee? What puts the chew into chewing gum? How are the calories counted in diet bread?

Caffeine, Gum and Diet Bread

Can hot chilies injure you? What's the difference between outdoor-bred and outdoor-reared pork? And what's bugging Jimmy about red food dye?

Chillies, Pork and Food Dye

Does a happy chicken lay a tastier egg? How do the supermarkets get avocados 'ripe and ready'? And why does one type of balsamic vinegar cost 100 times more than another?

Avocados, Eggs and Balsamico

Are fresh sardines better for us than tinned sardines? How much is known about the ducks we consume? And, when it comes to pasta, is fresh best?

Sardines, Ducks and Pasta

Jimmy discovers that there's more to traditionally-matured cheese than meets the eye, thanks to a microorganism that helps give the likes of pecorino their distinctive hard rinds

Cheesy Creatures

Jimmy Doherty finds out why Iceland supplies most of our cod. Kate Quilton investigates whether the banana's days are numbered. And Matt Tebbutt discovers why popcorn doesn't fill you up.

Cod Wars

Kate visits France to find out if a glass of red wine a day keeps the doctor away. Matt lifts the lid on skimmed milk. How do dairy farmers get exactly the right amount of fat in every pint of milk?

Milking It

Jimmy investigates whether manuka honey has any medicinal properties. Kate discovers why some varieties of caviar are so much cheaper than others. And Matt visits a Scottish distillery.

Caviar Conversation

Jimmy gives supermarket fish a sniff to discover how fresh the stock really is. Kate investigates how asparagus can be grown all year round in one of the driest places on earth - the Ica Valley, Peru.

Wasabi Plant

Jimmy wants to know why so much of the bacon in supermarkets comes from Denmark. Kate meets mozzarella makers in Italy. What is the liquid that mozzarella balls are bobbing in?

Bacon, Mozzarella, Snails

Kate wants to know where liquorice comes from. She's not a fan, but will she be converted once she's seen the experts in Calabria, Italy turn bitter-tasting liquorice roots into sweet treats?

Liquorice, Mushrooms, Beansprouts

Jimmy Doherty explores how blood is becoming trendy in gastronomy, including blood meringues. Kate Quilton asks why Spanish melons are so juicy, and Matt Edwards finds out how rock is made.

Black Pudding, Watermelons, Rock Candy

Jimmy finds out how food producers are using seaweed to reduce their salt content. Jellied eel sales are booming, but where do the eels come from? And why does tonic water glow in UV light?

Seaweed and Eels

Matt wants to know how it's possible for British onions to be sold in supermarkets year-round. The answer lies not in our soil, but in an aircraft hangar. Plus: is pricey aged steak worth the wait?

Onions, Steak, Olives

Jimmy wants to know what gives stout its smooth texture. Kate's on the trail of the ultimate superfood. And why is English mustard hot while the Dijon variety is relatively cool?

Stout, Watercress, Mustard

Is there any goodness left in tinned tomatoes? What part of a pig makes sweets chewy? And how do prebiotics work?

Tinned Tomatoes, Sweets, Prebiotics

Are there wasps in fresh figs? Why is ostrich meat red? And Kate's mission to give up added sugar reveals some shocking truths.

Figs, Ostrich Meat, Sugar

Why is halloumi cheese a subject of great debate? Is there a lethal poison lurking in apple cores? And what lives inside every sourdough loaf?

Halloumi, Apple Cores, Sourdough

Jimmy visits Bulgaria to find out why rose oil is considered liquid gold. Kate tackles pink pork; is it safe to eat? Matt gets the inside story on oven bags.

Rose Oil, Pink Pork, Roasting Bags

Jimmy examines the impact 'healthy' snacks can have on children's teeth. Kate finds out what makes cheap wine taste good, and Matt asks why good garlic gives us bad breath.

Healthy Snacks, Red Wine, Garlic

Jimmy finds out why pine nuts are so expensive. Kate travels to the Amazon rainforest to discover what gives Red Leicester cheese its colour. And Matt reveals how glacé cherries are made.

Pine Nuts, Red Leicester, Glace Cherries

Jimmy learns about a potentially devastating Greek yoghurt by-product. Kate uncovers the secrets of saffron, and Matt finds out why you can't eat kidney beans raw.

Saffron, Greek Yoghurt, Kidney Beans

What do Italians think of the extra-virgin olive oil sold in our supermarkets? Does drinking hot milk help you sleep? How wild is wild boar? And how much truffle is in truffle oil?

Olive Oil, Insects, Hot Sauce, Truffle Oil

Jimmy finds out what whitebait actually is and why it's not available in most supermarkets. Kate visits a cattle farm in America that supersizes cows and asks if what our meat eats matters.

Whitebait, Doggy Chocs, American Beef

Jimmy investigates how good omega3 supplements are. Kate asks why Iberico ham is so expensive. Matt finds out what makes chocolate white.

Omega 3, Iberico Ham, White Chocolate

Jimmy investigates mineral water and whether tap water has really been through seven people, while Kate finds out what the vegetable is in vegetable oil.

Vegetable Oil, Water, Supermarket Pies

Are alarming headlines about MSG justified? Jimmy visits a huge factory to find out. Kate investigates rumours that the Brazil nuts in UK supermarkets are all radioactive. Plus: elderflower cordial.

MSG, Brazil Nuts, Elderflower

Jimmy investigates the effects of vitamin D deficiency. Kate wants to know how supermarkets can sell wagyu beef, cheaply. And Matt heads to Switzerland to ask why there are holes in Swiss cheese.

Vitamin D, Wagu Beef, Swiss Cheese

Jimmy heads to Spain to meet an entrepreneur farming blue fin tuna. Kate investigates why ice cream can go gritty, and Matt explores the difference between premium and budget peas.

Blue Fin Tuna, Ice Cream, Peas

Jimmy investigates whether it's worth splashing out on expensive vodka, Kate finds out how coffee beans are turned into instant granules, and Matt checks out Wensleydale cheese.

Vodka, Instant Coffee, Wensleydale Cheese

Why do we have to pay for pistachios that we can't crack open and eat? Are traditional rolled oats better for us than quick-cook porridge? Plus: the trouble with draught Prosecco.

Pistachios, Rolled Oats, Prosecco

Jimmy examines how far farmers go to produce perfect veg for supermarkets. In America, Kate discovers that wine's getting stronger. Matt finds out which biscuit's best for dunking.

Vegetables, Wine, Biscuits

Kate discovers how scientists are using pineapple enzymes to help burns victims. How do the bubbles get into chocolate bars? And should we never eat mussels when there's an 'r' in the month?

Pineapples, Chocolate, Mussels

Do prunes really keep us regular? How much sugar is in cherry tomatoes, and are supermarkets labelling them correctly? And can a Dutch pioneer grow veg using sea water?

Plums, Vegetables, Cherry Tomatoes

Jimmy explores new ways to get crabs to come out of their shell. Kate finds out how to get children to eat their greens. And how are gummy sweets made? Matt investigates.

Crabs, Greens, Gummy Sweets

The team look back at some favourite investigations. Why is that liquid in packets of mozzarella? Why do we import venison when there are so many British deer? Why shouldn't we eat raw bean sprouts?

Revisited: Mozzarella, Venison and Sprouts

Episode 11

Episode 12

Episode 13

Episode 14

Episode 15

Episode 16

Episode 17

Episode 18

Matt makes a surprising discovery about haggis. Jimmy wants to know if you can put dishwasher salt on your chips. And why do chicks have their beaks trimmed?

Salt, Hens, Haggis

Are ready meals really twice as big as they were in the 1950s? How do green soy beans become creamy white tofu? And can artificially inseminating cows make milk easier to digest?

Tofu, Ready Meals, Milk

Could bananas be used to fight viruses including HIV and influenza? Have Dutch scientists created a meat substitute that tastes of meat? And what are those green bits on crisps?

Bananas, Plant Meat, Crisps

Why is almond butter more expensive than other nutty spreads? How is wine turned into fortified wine? And why does chopping onions make you cry?

Almond Butter, Fortified Wine, Onions

What exactly is processed meat, and is a fresh British banger healthier than a frankfurter? Jimmy investigates dates. And Matt meets a man who has 250 varieties of apple on his tree.

Dates, Sausages, Apples

Are crisp flavours made of real cheese and onion or cooked up in a lab? Matt investigates. Meanwhile, Kate learns the secrets of pepper, and Jimmy finds out about different types of yeast.

Pepper, Yeast, Crisps

Why does marmalade taste bitter when it's made of sugar and oranges? Which fish are fully sustainable? And are the British public up for goat meat?

Marmalade, Fish, Goat

Jimmy joins the battle between the bell pepper and the Mediterranean fruit fly. Matt visits an amazing mobile leek factory. And how can you tell how much manuka is in your manuka honey?

Bell Pepper, Leek, Manuka

Is coconut oil really healthier than other oils? Can absinthe lead to hallucinations and madness? And what do artichoke hearts have in common with strange African berries?

Coconut Oil, Artichokes, Absinthe

At a green bean plantation in Kenya, Jimmy learns how they grow the beans so straight for the supermarkets, and finds out what happens to the beans that don't make the grade. He also discovers the remarkable lengths that the farmers go to to stop the local wildlife destroying their valuable crop. At a Norwegian scallop farm, Matt braves the icy waters of the North Sea to join the divers harvesting scallops by hand from the sea bed. This sustainable farming method could be a model for the rest of Europe, but it needs a constant source of baby scallops, so Matt gets hands-on in the hatchery as he learns how to encourage a scallop to procreate. And Kate tries to unravel a mystery about Cornwall's most famous local delicacy: what exactly goes into a Cornish Pasty, swede or turnip?

Green Beans, Scallops, Cornish Pasties

Kate visits Israel to unearth the mystery ingredient that makes icing sugar so light, fluffy and powdery. Her journey takes her via a dip in the Dead Sea to an enormous phosphate mine in the desert, where all is revealed. In Italy, Jimmy investigates the difference between risotto rice and long grain rice. An early morning trip to a bustling rice auction and a visit to a flooded rice field shed some light. Back in the UK, Jimmy challenges renowned Italian chef Gennaro Contaldo to knock up a risotto using long grain rice; can it be done? And where do pre-packed sandwiches' crusts go? Matt discovers that one sandwich maker has come up with an innovative - and surprising - way of putting the waste bread to good use

Icing Sugar, Rice, Sandwiches

Jimmy Doherty, Kate Quilton and Matt Tebbutt reveal more unusual, intriguing and surprising secrets behind the food we eat. Matt heads to Italy to find out how supermarkets can sell pesto at an affordable price when the traditional ingredients are expensive. He visits one of Europe's biggest pesto producers and takes a remarkable trip to the bottom of the Mediterranean Sea, where basil is being grown in an extraordinary underwater farm. Jimmy wants to know why so many cockles in our supermarkets come from abroad, when he always thought of them as a quintessentially British staple. He visits Wales and the Wash, where two very different stories unfold, and witnesses a remarkable method of cockle gathering that has to be seen to be believed. And why do marshmallows go so crispy and melty at the same time over the campfire? Kate takes a colourful trip around Europe's largest marshmallow factory to find out.

Pesto, Cockles, Marshmallows

Jimmy Doherty investigates craft beer, meeting a couple who gave up jobs in the NHS to pursue their dream lifestyle of brewing and selling ale. Kate Quilton goes in search of the perfect tomato and finds herself in the middle of the world's biggest food fight at a festival in Valencia, while Matt Tebbutt examines why tinned anchovies taste salty when fresh ones don't, visiting a processing plant to find out.

Craft Beer, Tomatoes, Anchovies

Jimmy Doherty visits the largest wholesale food market in the world in Paris and discovers why British cheese sales are soaring across Europe. Matt Tebbutt travels to one of the largest ham producers in Italy and meets a pig farmer who tells him about a delicate problem that all pork producers face, while Kate Quilton investigates why some limes are so much juicier than others.

British Cheese, Parma Ham, Limes

Jimmy Doherty looks into skyr, a mysterious yoghurt-like product that claims to be entirely fat-free, but has a surprisingly creamy texture, while Kate Quilton heads to one of the busiest oyster hatcheries in France, where she witnesses the amazing science that goes into providing oysters year-round. Plus, Matt Tebbutt wants to know if the dried strawberries in his cereal are real or just a clever imitation.

Skyr, Oysters, Dried Strawberries

In Italy, Jimmy looks into why Parmesan costs up to twice as much as supermarket Cheddar. Kate's been puzzling over paprika and travels to Hungary and Spain to find out exactly where it comes from. And Matt looks at hard-boiled eggs - it can be fiddly enough getting the shell off in the comfort of your own kitchen, so how do the big players manage it now that hard-boiled eggs are popping up everywhere in supermarkets?

Parmesan, Paprika, Hard-Boiled Eggs

Jimmy's off to Israel on the trail of an elusive fruit - the fresh date. If raisins are dried grapes and prunes are dried plums, then what exactly are dates? Jimmy's search for the answer takes him to a vast water purification plant, where they harness the raw sewage of Tel Aviv to turn barren desert into fertile farmland. Kate flies to California to investigate why almond butter is more expensive than other nutty spreads, and discovers a combination of extreme weather and global economics have made the price of almonds go completely nuts. And Matt's in Scotland, investigating haggis. He makes a surprising discovery about the dish's true origins - and then faces the nerve-shredding ordeal of delivering some highly unwelcome news to an unsuspecting audience.

Dates, Almond Butter, Haggis

Jimmy takes to the skies above Israel to join the battle to protect the bell pepper crop from the Mediterranean fruit fly, but is amazed to learn that it's not insecticide that he's helping to spread across the desert. Can you put dishwasher salt on your chips? Jimmy visits an extraordinary underground salt mine in Sicily, with a vast network of tunnels leading to a subterranean salt processing plant. Kate visits Vietnam to find out if coconut oil is any healthier than other oils. She also heads to the Amazon rainforest to investigate rumours that the Brazil nuts on UK supermarket shelves are all radioactive.

Bell Peppers, Subterranean Salt, Coconut Oil, Brazil Nuts

How do you farm crocodiles? Kate visits Australia to find out and collects crocodile eggs from under their mothers' noses. Does cod liver oil have to be cod? Why do bagels taste different from bread?

Crocodile Meat & Eggs, Cod Liver Oil, Bagels

Kate finds out why rosemary is in so many food products. Jimmy meets a man whose taste buds are insured for a million pounds, in of one of the UK's biggest tea producers. Plus: seaweed.

Tea, Seaweed, Rosemary

Should we keep coffee, tomatoes, potatoes and even red wine in the fridge? Kate finds out why eucalyptus is so good at clearing our airwaves. Plus: sauerkraut.

Eucalyptus, Pickles, Sauerkraut

Kate visits Rome to find out what the difference is between gelato and ice cream. Plus: are dark rum and white rum made with different ingredients? And why do mints make your mouth cold?

Gelato, Rum, Sweets

What are those worms doing in bottles of tequila? How do you stop carp tasting of mud? And what's the difference between tangerines, mandarins, satsumas and clementines?

Tequila, Carp, Mandarins, Satsumas and Clementines

Why's clotted cream yellow? Could squid and chips replace fish and chips as our national dish? And where do multivitamins come from?

Squid, Multivitamins, Clotted Cream

Bergamot provides flavour in Jimmy's Earl Grey tea, but what exactly is it? How does instant tea match up against tea bags? Kate visits a very colourful jelly bean factory. Plus: pork scratchings.

Tea, Pork Scratchings, Jelly Beans

How much prawn's in a prawn cracker? What's in low-salt food instead of salt? Plus: the new high-tech method for keeping fresh herbs alive for longer. And a basil plant that's half tree.

Prawn Crackers, Herbs, Salt

Kate meets a scientist who hopes his genetically engineered goats' milk could save 500,000 lives a year. Is the fish we're buying really what we think it is? And what exactly is spreadable butter?

Milk, Fish, Butter

In this Food Unwrapped diet special, Jimmy Doherty, Kate Quilton, Matt Tebbutt and guest presenter Kiran Jethwa cross the globe to unearth the very latest dietary trends and scientific advances in the world of weight loss. In Los Angeles, home of the body beautiful, Kate investigates reports that caffeine could be a powerful secret weapon in the battle of the bulge. Could a double espresso really help us burn extra calories, even after we finish exercising? Kate meets one of California's leading sports scientists to find out. Jimmy visits Belgium on the trail of the dieter's holy grail: a chocolate that could be good for you. The secret? It's a probiotic chocolate bar, packed with bacteria that are supposed to keep us healthy and even help us stay slim. But how does probiotic chocolate stack up against other gut-friendly foods such as sauerkraut or yoghurt?

Summer Diet Special 2017

Can high-tech surveillance save our salmon? How on earth can you barbecue a kangaroo? Plus: the secrets behind the annual race to get seasonal asparagus into supermarkets.

Salmon, Kangaroo, Asparagus

Jimmy examines how plastic packaging is polluting the food chain with potentially global implications. Is it really possible to predict if you'll love or hate Marmite? Matt runs across a custard pond.

Marmite, Plastic, Custard

How much orange is in orange squash? Why's maple syrup so expensive? And what's with all those little holes on biscuits?

Orange Squash, Maple Syrup, Biscuits

Jimmy learns about the battle against the hidden nuisance that leads to corked wine. Plus: the surprising difference between runny and set honey. And okra.

Corked Wine, Okra, Honey

What gives some whisky its smoky flavour? Why doesn't halloumi melt? And how do you get corn off the cob?

Whisky, Halloumi, Sweetcorn

How do those chunks in American ice cream stay crispy? Why have olive oil prices been going up? Why are Bloody Marys so popular on planes and why does airline food taste so different at ground level?

Ice Cream, Olive Oil, Airline Food

How do crumpets get filled with holes? How come baby food has such a long shelf-life? And why's mascarpone more expensive that other soft cheeses?

Crumpets, Baby Food, Mascarpone

Jimmy finds out how shredded wheat's made. Matt discovers that lard can be healthier than butter. Dr Helen visits Poland to learn the trick to concentrating apple juice.

Cereal, Lard, Apple Juice

Jimmy hunts for the mother of all lagers. Plus: can changing the shape of food help our children eat their vegetables? And why are blueberries coated in a strange cloudy wax?

Lager, Shaped Vegetables, Blueberries

Why are some vanilla ice creams more expensive than others? Are baby carrots really babies? And how can coffees have lots of flavours when they use just two types of coffee beans?

Coffee Pods, Baby Carrots, Vanilla Ice Cream

Was Edam once used as cannonballs? What's that white powdery stuff that sometimes forms on chocolate? And can bedtime teas really help us sleep?

Chocolate, Bedtime Teas, Edam Cheese

Kate Quilton looks into Britain's plastic crisis while Jimmy Doherty and Matt Tebbutt visit South Africa on a piquanté pepper hunt.

Sweet Piquante Peppers, The Plastic Crisis, Yoghurt

Could a threat to British juniper berries spell the end of the gin resurgence? Plus: Kate checks out macadamia nuts in Hawaii and Matt finds out what's so bad about his double dipping habit.

London Dry Gin, Macadamia Nuts, Double Dipping

In China, Matt Tebbutt helps to cultivate pearls from surprising creatures. And why does sliced ham sometimes have a weird rainbow pattern on it?

Pearls, Rainbow Ham, Butterflies

Kate meets a tech start-up who hope to feed the world by growing fish flesh in a dish. Plus: how do you make ice cubes that aren't cloudy? And why can't you put papaya in jelly?

Papaya, Tuna, Growing Fish, Ice Cubes

How come some bread breaks up when it's buttered but other bread doesn't? And since the sugar tax came in, manufacturers have been adding less sugar to some products. But what are they adding instead?

Sugar Tax, Sliced Bread, Chicken Breasts

The food and science series that travels the world to explore the industry secrets behind our favourite produce, industry secrets, and how foods are really made.

The Best Seasons of Food Unwrapped

The Best Seasons of Food Unwrapped

Season 8

Season 2

Season 12

Season 15

Season 13

Season 1

Season 3

Season 4

Season 5

Season 6

Season 7

Season 9

Season 10

Season 11

Season 14

Season 16

Season 17

Season 18

Season 19

Season 20

Season 21

Season 22

Season 23

Season 24

Season 25