The act of transforming our food, through basic techniques such as cooking, preserving and fermenting, has existed in civilisation for at least 400,000 years, and was essential to human survival (Park, 2021). In recent years, the addition of sugars, salts, and fats for favour enhancement has become part of this processing. The term ‘ultra processed’ in reference to snacks emerged in the 1980s (Logan et al., 2024), and indicates how far foods can be transformed. Foods can be both physically transformed in this way, or take on new meanings; evolving perceptions of particular foods and cultural meanings ascribed to them have massively impacted their popularity. This work explores the physical transformation of ultra processed foods and the shifting meaning of two food items, offal and brown bread.

The narrative around ‘healthy’ eating changed significantly over the interviewees' lives, with the ‘hearty’ meal of the 1950s, reflecting post war hangovers around good food equating to quantity of food, gave way to the ‘healthy’ meal of the 1970s. The advent of voluntary nutritional labels in 1987 (Boon et al., 2010) gave the consumer a bit more agency, but the changing narratives impact individuals food behaviours.

The term ‘ultra processed’ had not been formalised in literature. The evolution of health guidelines and the accelerated transformation of foods into the 21st century make it difficult as a consumer to navigate the healthy food market. Shopping experiences now require you to understand different types of fats and their meanings, the difference between pre and probiotics, whilst also choosing items that are 'low-fat’, ‘salt-free’, ‘low-carb’, ‘natural’ and many more.

Tongue ‘n’ cheek

As well as new foods being added into the daily life of Brummies through global trade and migration patterns, we have lost some staples along the way, including whalemeat and pigeon! These foods, once readily available and popular, fell out of favour as public perceptions changed due to evolving health trends, cultural shifts, and media influences. Economic factors and availability also played a role in these shifts: the post-war economic boom of the 1950s and 60s saw an increase in disposable income, allowing families to afford more premium cuts of meat and moving away from less costly options. During World War II, however, offal - various internal animal parts such as liver, kidney, heart, and tongue - was a regular staple, as it was not subject to the same rationing as more desirable cuts. Arthur Hedgecox discusses offal offerings at the the Lamp in Bull Street: 

Whilst offal was historically considered peasant food in Medieval England (used to make humble pie!), in other parts of the world it is considered a delicacy; in France, liver is transformed into foie gras and pâté, considered gourmet and the height of cultured eating. Others represent regional identity, such as Scottish haggis, blodplättar, a Swedish blood pancake served with lingonberries, anticuchos, a Peruvian skewer of beef heart and oreja a la plancha, a traditional tapas dish from Madrid.

Whilst many of the skills and knowledge involved in preparing offal, such as the cleaning and bleaching of tripe have been lost, the recent resurgence in the use of offal in high end restaurants, with historic ‘nose-to-tail’ eating sees offal coming back into fashion.  Sweetbreads, chicken offal ragu and tongue are back on the menu, partly due to their high content of iron, B vitamins and protein, and low cost. The recontextualisation in restaurants reframes its meaning, associating it with sustainability, heritage and sophisticated palettes. Paired with its lower price, offal may trickle back into household cooking.

Brown bread

Brown bread is another food object transformed over time; once associated with lower socio-economic status and considered a less refined choice, brown bread is now widely regarded as a nutritious, premium alternative to white bread. Varying availability and meaning are crucial in understanding this change.

Brown bread’s evolving image has roots in World War II. During the war, white bread was banned in the UK due to its wasteful production process. Instead, the UK introduced the 'National Loaf' in 1942; a basic brown bread made from available wholemeal flour and fortified with essential vitamins and minerals (recipe here). The National Loaf was intended to maximise nutritional value and minimise waste, as it could only be sold the day after baking; this slight staleness was believed to encourage thinner slicing, making each loaf stretch further (Grandad's Cookbook, 2024). After the war, and particularly when rationing ended in the 1950s, people quickly returned to white bread, now seen as a symbol of renewed choice and post-war prosperity. However, tastes began shifting again in the 1970s, as people became more conscious of nutrition and dietary health. Andy Andrews notes this renewed interest in brown bread, as consumers sought healthier, fibre rich options, and brown bread re-emerged as a preferred choice: 

Brown bread has therefore transformed from a food artefact designed for the resourceful, to now act as a signifier for the middle class, and often sold at a premium. Part of the image transformation is due to its health benefits; with its higher fibre, protein and vitamin content compared to white bread, it has become a healthier alternative in everyday diets.

Boon, C.S., Lichtenstein, A.H. and Wartella, E.A. eds., 2010. Front-of-package nutrition rating systems and symbols: Phase I report. National Academies Press.

Grandad's Cookbook, (2024). British National Loaf. Grandad's Cookbook. Available at: https://grandadscookbook.co.uk/british-national-loaf/ (Accessed: 24 April 2025).

Logan, A.C., D'Adamo, C.R., Pizzorno, J.E. and Prescott, S.L., 2024. “Food faddists and pseudoscientists!”: Reflections on the history of resistance to ultra-processed foods. Explore, 20(4), pp.470-476.

Park, W,. (2021) What were the first processed foods? BBC Future. Available at: https://www.bbc.co.uk/future/article/20210608-what-were-the-first-processed-foods (Accessed: 02 April 2025).