Category: Culinary knowledge

Many people mistakenly associate the tear-jerking, pungent sensation from onions with spicy compounds like capsaicin found in chili peppers. The truth is that onions do not contain capsaicin at all, as their characteristic flavor and irritant properties come from a different class of chemical compounds entirely. This distinction is key to understanding the unique chemistry of allium vegetables versus peppers.

According to extensive research and food safety reports, the vast majority of pine mouth cases are linked to nuts from specific non-culinary pine species, particularly Pinus armandii from China. This phenomenon, known as pine nut syndrome, causes a distinctive and unpleasant metallic or bitter taste that can last for days or weeks after consumption.

The Codex Alimentarius, a collection of internationally recognized standards developed by the FAO and WHO, explicitly includes 'drink' within its definition of 'food' for human consumption. However, the classification is not always so clear-cut, as it varies depending on the context, from legal to nutritional to cultural interpretations. This article dives into the complexities to provide a comprehensive answer.

The word "beef" traces its roots to the Old French "buef," a distinction introduced by the Norman conquerors of England, who used the term for the meat consumed by the upper classes. This linguistic history reveals that answering "Is beef just cow meat?" requires understanding the broader term "cattle."