''Food Detectives'' is a

food science Food science (or bromatology) is the basic science and applied science of food; its scope starts at overlap with agricultural science and nutritional science and leads through the scientific aspects of food safety and food processing, informing ...

show hosted by Ted Allen that aired in North America on

Food Network Food Network is an American basic cable channel owned by Television Food Network, G.P., a unit of Warner Bros. Discovery, who manages and operates it as a division of the Warner Bros. Discovery U.S. Networks Group. The channel airs both televi ...

from July to September 2008. Ted Allen, backed by research conducted by ''

Popular Science Popular science (also called pop-science or popsci) is an interpretation of science intended for a general audience. While science journalism focuses on recent scientific developments, popular science is more broad ranging. It may be written ...

'' magazine, investigated food-related beliefs, such as the validity of the

five-second rule The five-second rule, or sometimes the three-second rule, is a food hygiene urban legend that states a defined time window after which it is not safe to eat food (or sometimes to use cutlery) after it has been dropped on the floor or on the gro ...

or the effectiveness of

ginger Ginger (''Zingiber officinale'') is a flowering plant whose rhizome, ginger root or ginger, is widely used as a spice and a folk medicine. It is an herbaceous perennial that grows annual pseudostems (false stems made of the rolled bases of l ...

in relieving

motion sickness Motion sickness occurs due to a difference between actual and expected motion. Symptoms commonly include nausea, vomiting, cold sweat, headache, dizziness, tiredness, loss of appetite, and increased salivation. Complications may rarely include ...

. In addition to support from scientists such as molecular biologist Dr. Adam Ruben and ''Popular Science'' staff members, Allen was assisted on-screen by a group of "food techs," often-silent assistants who were the participants in simple experiments exploring food-related myths, beliefs, practices, and folkways. ''Food Detectives'' has 23 episodes. Allen said the series was "''

MythBusters ''MythBusters'' is a science entertainment television series created by Peter Rees (producer), Peter Rees and produced by Beyond International in Australia. The series premiered on the Discovery Channel on January 23, 2003. It was broadcast in ...

'' meets '' Good Eats'' meets '' atchMr. Wizard''." Filming for the show's inaugural episode took place in Little Italy, Baltimore.

Reception

Melissa Camacho of ''

Common Sense Media Common Sense Media (CSM) is an American nonprofit organization that reviews and provides ratings for media and technology with the goal of providing information on their suitability for children.

'' had a positive review of the show, writing, "The show's unique combination of food science, pop culture, and experimentation creates an amusing formula that offers entertaining but teachable moments for both kids and adults. Granted, watching food techs slice, dice, eat, run, spin, and even sleep in the name of science may not sound very interesting, but Allen's quick wit adds flavor to what could be considered bland technical conversations. Kids and adults who are interested in science and/or cooking will certainly find this show appealing. Trivia buffs will also be engaged." ''

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...

''s Mike Hale penned a negative review of the show, stating, "With Mr. Allen straining to add some levity, ''Food Detectives'' will live and die by the questions it asks. In the premiere last week, it hit one for four. A test of what cools down your mouth after eating spicy food was interesting. (Bread and dairy products help; soda and beer only make things worse.) But the other three segments were thuddingly unsurprising. ... Those who complain that the Food Network's best days are in the not-too-recent past you know who you are, and you're blogging right this second will only feel more disillusioned after watching ''Food Detectives''."

References

External links

Food Network: ''Food Detectives with Ted Allen''
* Food Network original programming 2008 American television series debuts {{US-nonfiction-tv-prog-stub

Reception

See also

References

External links