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Snackification: Our love affair with snacks

Have we always snacked or is it a more modern phenomenon that started with formal meal patterns? What snacks have been popular through the ages, and what’s the industry doing now?

Ruth Alexander looks at the world of snacks. Have we always snacked or is it a more modern phenomenon that started with formal meal patterns? What snacks have been popular through the ages, what’s the industry doing now and what could we be eating in the future?

We talk to food historians Dr Annie Gray and Professor Janis Thiessen, the former CEO of Unilever Paul Polman - who re the rise of some of the biggest brands - and Christine Cochran from the international trade association SNAC International.

We also hear from snack fans across the world.

If you would like to get in touch with the show, please email: thefoodchain@bbc.co.uk

Available now

26 minutes

Last on

Sun 18 May 2025 17:32GMT

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  • Thu 15 May 2025 03:32GMT
  • Thu 15 May 2025 10:32GMT
  • Thu 15 May 2025 17:32GMT
  • Thu 15 May 2025 21:32GMT
  • Sun 18 May 2025 08:32GMT
  • Sun 18 May 2025 17:32GMT

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