PINT OF SCIENCE FESTIVAL
18-20 MAY 2026
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How We Build Food: From Microbes to Supermarket Shelves
Why does your kitchen smell the way it does and why does supermarket food last so long? This event breaks down the science behind what we eat. First, a look at fermentation and enzymes: how microbes and chemistry unlock flavour. Then, a food developer explains how everyday products are designed, preserved, and optimised for modern life.
Loaves and fish sauces
Michiel Matthijs
R&D manager fermentation and enzymes
Solina
How we use fermentation and enzymes to unlock taste and why my kitchen smells like it does.
Designed to Last: The Hidden Science Behind What You Eat
Manuel Meggiolaro
Application Specialist
Cargill
What really happens between the farm and your supermarket shelf?
In this eye-opening talk, a food developer pulls back the curtain on how everyday foods are designed, why they last so long, what preservatives actually do, and how modern lifestyles have quietly reshaped what we eat.
This isn’t about fear or “good vs bad” food, it’s about understanding the hidden logic behind the products we rely on every day, and how that knowledge can change the way we choose.
