Food! We all eat it, as it is essential for our survival. Every day, billions of people enjoy different types of foods around the globe. But, how much do we know about the food we eat? There’s a lot we don’t know about food but we eat it because it tastes good and we need it to satisfy our hunger. Here, we have collected some pretty interesting facts about food that you will love to read.
1. Potatoes can absorb and reflect Wi-fi signals.
Human beings have more similarities to potatoes than you’d think. According to the Associated Press, the water content and chemistry in potatoes is similar to human beings. When engineers at Boeing wanted to test in-flight wireless signals, they used bags filled with potatoes and placed them in passenger seats. Because of the extreme similarity with humans, potatoes can absorb and reflect radio wave signals the same way humans do.
Today, most airplanes are equipped with wireless internet but at 30,000 feet, the signal can be interrupted due to various factors. In order to test the issue and obtain accurate results, engineers from Boeing purchased 20,000 pounds of potatoes. The test was successful and the engineers were able to fine tune the signals to ensure that it does not interfere with the plane’s navigation and communications equipment. (source)
2. Every banana you find in the grocery store is basically a clone.
For millions, bananas are a vital source of food. They start their day by adding bananas to their cereal or by blending them into drinks or smoothies. Bananas are highly nutritious and are often known as anti-depressants because of their health benefits. Today, more than 150 countries produce more than 1,000 types of bananas but the most common type of banana that is found in grocery stores is the Cavendish variety.
The Cavendish is the world’s most popular banana since it’s seedless and can last longer than other types. This also has a negative effect. Since they are seedless, farmers cannot reproduce the type. So, in order to continue production and to satisfy the demand, farmers have to clone each plant. (source)
3. Fruit gummies, a staple snack in many family homes, is coated with the hardest natural wax known to man; Carnauba. It is the same type of wax used to coat cars.
Fruit gummies are enjoyed by millions of people. The low calorie, fat free and vitamin filled squishies are made with real fruit juice and fruit purees. In addition to the fruit juice and purees used to make it, there is Carnauba wax, which is used to provide a glossy waxen sheen to these fruit chews.
According to AutoGeek, Carnauba is produced by a palm tree in Brazil to coat its leaves and shield them from the intense tropical sun. Every year, the wax is harvested and graded according to its color, where it was grown, and its purity. If you’re someone who enjoys fruit gummies, then try to look for an organic or natural variety that uses natural food dyes from spices and vegetables. (source)
4. Natural honey will never go bad.
Natural honey has an eternal shelf life. This is due to two main factors; the acidity of honey and low moisture. These two factors work as a primary defense against spoilage. According to the Honey and Pollination Center at the Robert Mondavi Institute at University of California, natural honey in a sealed jar can prevent bacteria from growing; thus preserving the honey eternally.
In 2015, scientists excavating Egypt’s famous pyramids found pots of honey in an ancient tomb. After analyzing the sample, they found the honey to be approximately 3,000 years old and perfectly edible. (source)
5. Cheese is the most shoplifted food item in the world.
According to Global Retail Theft Barometer and Checkpoint Systems, cheese is the most shoplifted food item in the world. The reason behind this strange obsession is simple; high demand. Thieves not only target DVD’s and electronic items but also target simple things such as cheese. In 2016, in Germantown, Wisconsin, thieves managed to pull a heist that accounted for more than 25 percent of the nation’s total cheese production. The thieves managed to get away with a refrigerated tractor-trailer loaded down with $70,000 worth of cheese. (source)
6. The stickers on fruits are edible.
Most of us have probably consumed the sticker that comes with a fruit, at least once in our lives. Fruit stickers are in fact edible and non-toxic. To be clear, just because they are non-toxic doesn’t mean that they’re good for you. If you’ve worked yourself up into a frenzy because you think you’ve ingested some highly toxic adhesive, then you don’t have to panic. The stickers and their adhesive are FDA-approved and safe to ingest but it is however recommended that you remove the sticker before washing your fruit. (source)
7. It is believed that the sandwich was invented by the Earl of Sandwich; a man who was so obsessed with card games that he didn’t want to leave the table to eat.
People invent things or find unique ways to complete a task at desperate times. That’s exactly what the 4th Earl of Sandwich, John Montagu, did. Montagu was so obsessed with card games that he did not wish to leave the table. As an Earl, he had many servants who performed tasks for him. So the Earl, who wished to keep the cards in his hands, ordered his servants to bring him food that wouldn’t disturb the game.
While it is unclear whether the cook himself had the idea of creating the sandwich and was waiting for the right moment to show his masterpiece or whether the servants, in a frenzy, accidentally discovered it. We will never know the exact story behind its creation since the sandwich was named after the parish it was conceived in. (source)
8. During the middle ages, black pepper was considered a luxury item. People used it to pay rent and taxes.
Black pepper, which is readily available in stores and is present at all tables in a restaurant for people to use as they please, was once considered a luxury item. During the Middle Ages, it was worth its weight in gold, since gold and silver were easy enough to come by, but pepper wasn’t.
After the sea route to India was discovered, the spice was transported to different parts of the world by European settlers. Since pepper traveled from a far away land, it was only enjoyed by wealthy nobles. At the same time, 85 percent of the population were peasants and they found the spice to be of great significance; using it to pay rents and taxes. (source)
9. Pringles once had a lawsuit trying to prove that they weren’t really potato chips, but rather savory snacks.
In 2009, the creators of the famous Pringles argued in court that their product should be considered as “savory snacks”, instead of potato chips. In the UK, most foods are exempt from the value-added tax but potato chips and similar food items are taxable. Procter & Gamble, the manufacturers of Pringles, argued in court that Pringles only contained about 40 percent potato flour and that it cannot be classified as potato chips.
After taking a closer look, the court ruled Pringles to be potato chips and ordered the company to pay $160 million in taxes. Procter & Gamble appealed the decision and turned the case to their advantage but the opposing side appealed again, to which the case reached the Supreme Court of Judicature. Court of Judicature ruled that Pringles are in fact potato chips. (source)
10. Chocolate was once used as currency.
The Aztecs once used chocolate as currency. This was mainly because they were unable to grow cacao in the dry highlands of central Mexico. So, the Aztecs traded chocolate with the Mayans and other people in order to receive a steady supply of seeds for chocolate.. According to the International Cocoa Organization, they also used it as currency or to pay taxes. (source)