EPISODE · Apr 4, 2026 · 20 MIN
Episode 9: The fascinating world of ultra-processed foods, Part 2
from It's Never JUST Food! · host Noha Gerges
In Part 2 of this ultra-processed foods series, we go behind the curtain. Not the boring org chart stuff. The unexpected roles and design choices that shape the experience of eating ultra-processed foods, like crunch sound, texture engineering, aroma design, and how foods are built to dissolve and “go down” fast. In this episodeWhat it really means to “design” a food experienceThe crunch and sound piece Texture engineeringAroma designMelt and flavor releasePackaging as a crunch and texture protector Connect with Noha:Topic requests: [email protected] the podcast on Instagram Follow Noha on: Instagram and TikTok Learn more about working with Noha here References mentioned in the episodeMonteiro, C. A., et al.(2019). Ultra-processed foods: what they are and how to identify them. Public Health Nutrition. Fazzino, T. L., et al.(2019). Hyper-palatable foods: development of a quantitative definition and application to the US food system database. Obesity. Spence, C. (2017). Crispness, the sound of food, and the perception of texture. Flavour. Foodspiracy: Why ultra-processed foods are irresistible and how they impact our health. The Nature of Things It’s Never Just Food is hosted by Noha Gerges and is operated by 17928238 Canada Inc. This podcast is for general educational and entertainment purposes only and does not constitute medical, nutritional or professional advice.
What this episode covers
In Part 2 of this ultra-processed foods series, we go behind the curtain. Not the boring org chart stuff. The unexpected roles and design choices that shape the experience of eating ultra-processed foods, like crunch sound, texture engineering, aroma design, and how foods are built to dissolve and “go down” fast. In this episodeWhat it really means to “design” a food experienceThe crunch and sound piece Texture engineeringAroma designMelt and flavor releasePackaging as a crunch and texture protector Connect with Noha:Topic requests: [email protected] the podcast on Instagram Follow Noha on: Instagram and TikTok Learn more about working with Noha here References mentioned in the episodeMonteiro, C. A., et al.(2019). Ultra-processed foods: what they are and how to identify them. Public Health Nutrition. Fazzino, T. L., et al.(2019). Hyper-palatable foods: development of a quantitative definition and application to the US food system database. Obesity. Spence, C. (2017). Crispness, the sound of food, and the perception of texture. Flavour. Foodspiracy: Why ultra-processed foods are irresistible and how they impact our health. The Nature of Things It’s Never Just Food is hosted by Noha Gerges and is operated by 17928238 Canada Inc. This podcast is for general educational and entertainment purposes only and does not constitute medical, nutritional or professional advice.
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Episode 9: The fascinating world of ultra-processed foods, Part 2
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