Description
We trace whey protein back to a cheese plant, test grapefruit's clash with meds, and crack why peanut butter keeps for months.
At Carberry Foods in County Cork, host Jim meets R&D Manager Pat McCahay inside a state-of-the-art cheese facility. As milk separates into curds and whey, we follow the protein-rich liquid through membrane filtration that concentrates it from under 1% to around 30%. A colossal spray dryer then removes water, creating the whey powder many gym-goers use. Back in the UK, dietitian Rick Miller checks what happens when Jim drinks whey shakes without training. His urea levels rise as the body dumps excess nitrogen, and surplus protein can be stored as fat. Pro boxer Cam Shaw’s routine shows why athletes with heavy training loads actually need more protein.
In Cyprus, citrus farmer George walks us through washing and natural waxing that only treat the peel, so processing isn’t to blame for grapefruit’s reputation. At the University of Bath, pharmacologist Chris Shields explains how furanocoumarins in grapefruit inhibit drug-metabolising enzymes in the gut and liver. The interaction can change levels of more than 85 medicines, including statins, amlodipine and carbamazepine, and it can be triggered by as little as one glass of juice. Grapefruit might theoretically intensify sildenafil, but you’re more likely to see side effects like headache, dry mouth and blurred vision.
For long-life spreads, prepper Jay Oliver champions peanut butter. In Yorkshire, maker Stuart Franklin’s simple recipe — peanuts in, peanuts out — goes from roaster to “smuncher” with no preservatives, yet lasts up to 18 months. At the University of Greenwich, Dr Nazanin Zand measures peanut butter’s water activity at about 0.2, far drier than crisps at 0.34 and jam near 0.8. With so little free water for microbes, peanut butter can be safely kept at room temperature.
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