Max Pearson presents a collection of this week’s Witness History episodes from the BBC World Service.
This week, we look at the disputed history of pad Thai with food writer Chawadee Nualkhair.
We also hear from former fruit exporter Don Turner on why his family changed the name of the Chinese gooseberry to the kiwi fruit.
Our expert guest is food historian, Prof Katarzyna Cwiertka, who highlights other moments in history when food and politics combined.
We also have an interview with Thomas Chatenier, the president of Nutella, about the origins of the chocolate hazelnut spread.
Plus, we talk about the Flavr Savr tomato - the world's first genetically-engineered food.
And finally we hear from Ken Hom, the chef who introduced Chinese cookery to TV audiences.
Contributors: Chawadee Nualkhair – Thai food writer. Don Turner – former chief executive of kiwi exporter, Turners and Growers. Katarzyna Cwiertka - food historian and Professor of Modern Japan Studies at Leiden University in the Netherlands. Thomas Chatenier - the president of Nutella. Roger Salquist – former CEO of the biotech company which was responsible for the Flavr Savr tomato. Ken Hom – Chinese-American chef and author.
(Photo: Pad Thai. Credit: Getty Images)
Film and cinema around the world
The Invasion of Iraq
International Women's Day
Pink triangles and political assassinations
Riots in Mauritius and the Queen 'jumping out of a helicopter'
'Hot Autumn' and Tutankhamun
Popes
Pirate radio and the Velvet Divorce
The death penalty and broadcasting bans
Horsemeat scandal and the Miracle on the Hudson
Plastics in oceans and sea cucumbers
Pussy Riot and other Russian rebels
Food
90 years of the BBC World Service
District Six and daredevils
Referendums and Teletubbies
Contested islands and Miss World protests
Anwar Ibrahim and road safety inventions
Arabian Peninsula
Racist raids, protests and a political assassination
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