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Twinkie, Deconstructed

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About this listen

 Like most Americans, Steve Ettlinger eats processed foods. And, like most consumers, he often reads the ingredients label without a clue as to what most of it means. So when his young daughter asked, "Daddy, what's polysorbate 60?" he was at a loss and determined to find out.

In this fascinating exploration into the curious world of packaged foods, Twinkie, Deconstructed takes us from the phosphate mines in Idaho to the corn fields in Iowa, from gypsum mines in Oklahoma to oil fields in China, to demystify some of America's most common processed food ingredients: where they come from, how they are made, how they are used, and why.

Beginning at the source, we follow each Twinkie ingredient through the process of being crushed, baked, fermented, refined, and/or reacted into a totally unrecognizable goo or powder with a strange name - all for the sake of creating a simple snack cake. If you've ever wondered what you're eating when you consume foods containing mono- and diglycerides or calcium sulfate (the latter is a food-grade equivalent of plaster of paris), this book is for you.

©2006 Listen and Live Audio Inc. (P)2006 Listen and Live Audio Inc. Agricultural & Food Sciences Food Science Science Social Sciences Nutrition

Critic reviews

"[A] delightful romp through the food processing industry." ( Publishers Weekly)
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