SPRING FESTIVALS EDINBURGH INTERNATIONAL EDINBURRGGGGGHH INT SCIENCE FESTIVAL

From GastroFest to Cheesology, the Edinburgh International Science Festival likes to examine the food we eat. Louise Stoddart rounds

up seven of our favourite Sci Fest events for nosh lovers

FOOD EXPIRY DATES: WHAT TO BELIEVE? How much do expiry dates really matter? Despite attempts by some supermarkets to donate unsold food to charity, there’s still ten million tonnes of food waste across the UK. This panel session with Solveiga Pakstaite, the inventor of a bio-reactive food expiry label, explores how technology may be able to reduce waste. Summerhall, Thu 6 Apr.

THE BURGER EVOLUTION Join sensory expert Professor Charles Spence, chef and scientist Charles Michel and Ben Reade from the Edinburgh Food Studio as they explore the journey of the hamburger. Sample a variety of l avours at the pop-up burger bar.  Summerhall, Fri 7 Apr.

WATCH AND WOLF: GATTACA Jelly & Gin return with their multi- sensory edible adventures, this time with a screening of the cult classic sci-i i lm  Gattaca. After

receiving a welcome drink and a mysterious box with numbered packages i lled with food, drink and aromas the narrative, take a seat and wait for the signal to open each one.  Summerhall, Fri 7 Apr. inspired by

DISTILLING LIVE! David Wilkinson, head distiller at Edinburgh Gin, talks through the science of distillation. After a live distillation using recipes crowdsourced over social media, there’s a tutored tasting of the Edinburgh Gin range as well as the chance to sample gins distilled on the night. Other tasting events include  Cheeseology  and  How Beer Made Science History. Edinburgh Gin Distillery, Sat 8 Apr.

THE ETHICAL CARNIVORE: MY YEAR OF KILLING TO

EAT Could you kill everything you eat? Louise Gray spent a year doing just that after she was fed up of her friends claiming to care about where their meat came from.

Here, she shares her story and talks about the shocking reality of how our meat is often reared and slaughtered.  Summerhall, Sun 9 Apr.

WHAT IS WELLNESS: THE PURSUIT OF EATING

CLEAN Changing attitudes to food mean more people are trying to ‘eat clean’ in pursuit of wellness. Lecturer in nutrition and dietetics at King’s College London, Sophie Medlin discusses how benei cial ‘clean eating’ is and why it’s so expensive.  Summerhall, Mon 10 Apr.

the Botanics, HARVESTING FOR HEALTH Over at they’re looking at how the bugs in your gut harvest the good stuff from what you eat. After learning about foods that are good for both us and the environment, there’s the chance to take part in a game of guts and bugs, or make a placemat. Royal Botanic Garden, Mon 10 & Tue 11 Apr.

22 THE LIST 1 Apr–31 May 2017