Sliced Bread

Latest Episodes:

Sliced Bread - Series 9: Slug Repellents Oct 03, 2024

Show notes

Listener Nikki from Essex has a problem in her garden with a certain slippery character – the slug. She told Sliced Bread that she’s lost many a plant to them, and had to abandon growing certain kinds altogether – because while they’re being a nuisance, she doesn’t want to harm them.

She has been researching non-lethal slug repellents, and wants to know if they actually work? Can things like egg shells, copper tape and wool pellets stop them in their slimy tracks?

We speak to principal entomologist at the Royal Horticultural Society Doctor Hayley Jones, as well as zoologist, ecologist and honorary fellow of the Royal Entomological Society, Doctor Gordon Port to find out. You can also hear us put some slugs through their paces – as we set up a test to see what they avoid…

All of the ideas for out investigations come from you, our listeners, and we’re always on the lookout for more. If you have seen a wonder product that claims to make you happier, healthier or greener, and want to know if it is SB or BS, then please do send it over on email to sliced.bread@bbc.co.uk or drop us a message or voice note on WhatsApp to 07543 306807.

PRESENTER: Greg Foot

PRODUCER: Kate Holdsworth

Sliced Bread - Series 9: Electrolytes Sep 26, 2024

Show notes

Do drinks and powders with electrolytes help to hydrate you better?

Listener Rob got in touch as he’s recently taken up a new sport and wants to know if electrolytes can help his performance and recovery. He’s seen lots of adverts on social media for drinks and powders containing electrolytes that claim to hydrate you better than just plain water. But do they?

To find the answers, Greg speaks to Graeme Close, Professor of Human Physiology and Head of the Research Institute for Sports and Exercise Sciences at Liverpool John Moores University.

All our investigations start with YOUR suggestions. If you've seen an ad, trend or wonder product promising to make you happier, healthier or greener, email us at sliced.bread@bbc.co.uk OR send a voicenote to our WhatsApp number 07543 306807

PRESENTER: GREG FOOT PRODUCER: SIMON HOBAN

Sliced Bread - Series 9: Insulated Coffee Cups Sep 19, 2024

Show notes

Listener Raffi is tired of his morning coffee going cold by the time he's ready to drink it. There are plenty of products out there promising to do a better job than Raffi's flask, and they come with a range of price tags. But how do they work and what is the ideal drinking temperature? Dr Michael de Podesta, a chartered physicist and measurements expert, has been looking into these very questions. He joins Greg and Raffi in the studio to run through his experiments - and explain how 'double walled technology' works and whether it's the answer to Raffi's prayers. Michael's even been trying out a high tech cup that claims to instantly cool your drink to a perfect drinking temperature - and keep it there for hours. Insulated cups also claim to be leak proof, durable and - in some cases - dishwasher proof. So joining them for this one is Kamisha Darroux, principal scientific adviser for Which? to talk about the tests they do and which other features are worth spending your money on. So are insulated coffee cups the best thing since sliced bread?

PRESENTER: GREG FOOT PRODUCER: TOM MOSELEY

Sliced Bread - Series 9: Greens Powders Sep 12, 2024

Show notes

Greens powders are made up of dozens of ingredients, which are ground up and added to water. They claim to do all sorts of things for our bodies, like give us extra energy, clearer skin, boost our gut health and reduce bloating. But they're not cheap. So what's in them and do they work? That's what listener Sofie, whose social feeds have been bombarded with adverts for greens powders, wants to know. She's not alone - we've had lots of messages asking us to look into these products. To get some answers, Greg speaks to British Dietetic Association spokeswoman Sian Porter, and food scientist Dr Emily Leeming.

The prices of the products were correct at the time of the recording.

PRESENTER: GREG FOOT PRODUCER: TOM MOSELEY

Sliced Bread - Series 9: Foam Rollers Sep 05, 2024

Show notes

Lots of people use a foam roller, either before after exercise. It's not usually a very comfortable experience - as Greg finds out in this episode - but is worth the pain? Can they really increase flexibility before exercise, and ease our muscles afterwards? Is it any better than stretching? As you'd expect, there are plenty of claims around these products, which cost anything from a tenner to more than £100 for a vibrating version. We're going right around the world for this one - listener Brendon joins us all the way from New Zealand, and to get him some answers we've got foam roller expert Dr David Behm dialling in from Canada. National Physiotherapy Lead for Nuffield Health Jodie Breach also joins Greg in the studio. So are foam rollers the best thing since sliced bread?

PRESENTER: GREG FOOT PRODUCER: TOM MOSELEY

Sliced Bread - Series 9: Dishwasher Tablets Aug 29, 2024

Show notes

Do more expensive dishwasher tablets clean better? And how do eco versions stack up?

We are back with a new series of Sliced Bread and even more investigations into your suggested wonder products! We'll also be hitting a significant milestone during this batch of programmes so look out for more on that.

First up - dishwasher tablets. Listener Deborah got in touch after hearing our deep-dive into dishwashers themselves and had some burning questions about the tablets we put in them. Do more expensive ones give you a better clean? Do they protect glasses better? And what about the eco brands that promise to be kinder to the environment?

Listener Graham sent a voicenote asking whether buying an 'all-in-one' tablet is better than using separate components, either for cleaning or the environment.

Greg's joined by Deborah and a panel of experts in our studio at Media City in Salford to run all these questions through the wash.

PRESENTER: GREG FOOT PRODUCER: SIMON HOBAN

Dough - Series 1: Fridges Aug 15, 2024

Show notes

Could fridges make way for kitchen cabinets that don't just keep food fresh but actually grow it?

Dough is a new series from BBC Radio 4 which looks at the business behind profitable, everyday products, assessing where the smart money is going now and what that could mean for all of us in the years ahead.

In this episode, the entrepreneur Sam White speaks with experts from the world of refrigeration including:

Federica Torelli – Head of Product Management with Smeg which makes fridge freezers.

Emir Lasic - Principal Analyst with the industry analysts, Omdia.

Jason Hirst - CEO and founder of EvoGro which makes plant growing cabinets.

Also joining them is the technology expert and applied futurist, Tom Cheesewright, who offers his insight and predictions on what might be coming beyond the current production pipeline.

Together, they explore fridge freezer trends and inventions chatting about their own choices for game changing, and pointless, innovations.

We hear how energy efficiency labels are not always as accurate as you might think and assess the chances of indoor incubators providing a new home for vegetables and leafy greens away from the fridge.

Produced by Viant Siddique & Jon Douglas. Dough is a BBC Audio North production for BBC Radio 4 and BBC Sounds.

Sliced Bread returns for a new batch of investigations in August when Greg Foot will investigate more of the latest so-called wonder products to find out whether they really are the best thing since sliced bread.

In the meantime, Dough is available in the Sliced Bread feed on BBC Sounds

Dough - Series 1: Irons Aug 08, 2024

Show notes

Will anyone iron clothes in the future?

In this episode, the entrepreneur Sam White speaks with experts from the world of garment care including:

Leonor Carneiro - the category leader for garment care at Versuni which owns the Philips brand and is famous for making products including steam irons.

Veronika Kandusova - a consultant with the market researchers, Euromonitor International.

Frej Lewenhaupt - the CEO and co-founder of Steamery, a company which makes garment steamers.

Also joining them is the technology expert and applied futurist, Tom Cheesewright, who offers his insight and predictions on what might be coming beyond the current production pipeline.

Together, they explore the products that are replacing traditional irons, explain why fewer people in the UK tend to iron today and chat about their own choices for game changing and least effective ironing innovations.

We hear why clothes iron manufacturers are yet to crack battery power and get a tantalising glimpse of how even more of us might avoid ironing in the future.

Produced by Jon Douglas. Dough is a BBC Audio North production for BBC Radio 4 and BBC Sounds.

In the meantime, Dough is available in the Sliced Bread feed on BBC Sounds

Dough - Series 1: Hairdryers Aug 01, 2024

Show notes

How do modern hairdryers protect against damage from excessive heat?

Dough is a new series from BBC Radio 4 which looks at the business behind profitable, everyday products and considers how they might evolve in the future.

In this episode, the entrepreneur Sam White speaks with experts from the world of hairdryer manufacturing, namely Robyn Coutts, a senior design manager at Dyson and Andrew McDougall, director of beauty and personal care research at the analysts, Mintel.

Also joining them is the technology expert and applied futurist Tom Cheesewright, who offers his insight and predictions on what might be coming beyond the current production pipeline.

Together, they explore how hairdryers went from gas-powered chimneys to handheld devices, examine some of the latest trends and technology before giving their expert opinions on game-changing - and pointless - hair drying innovations.

Dough looks at where the smart money's going now and what that could mean for all of us in the years ahead.

Produced by Viant Siddique and Jon Douglas.

Dough is a BBC Audio North production for BBC Radio 4 and BBC Sounds.

In the meantime, Dough is available in the Sliced Bread feed on BBC Sound

Dough - Series 1: Vacuum Cleaners Jul 25, 2024

Show notes

Why do we buy so many vacuum cleaners?

Dough is a new series from BBC Radio 4 which looks at the business behind profitable, everyday products and considers how they might evolve in the future.

In this episode, the entrepreneur Sam White speaks with experts from the world of vacuum cleaner manufacturing, including:

Grahame Capron-Tee - who has seen many significant changes during his long career in the industry;

Nick Grey - the inventor and founder of Gtech;

Anthony Williams - a global director at the data insights company, GFK.

Also joining them is the technology expert and applied futurist Tom Cheesewright, to offer his insight and predictions on what might be coming beyond the current production pipeline.

Together, they explore how vacuum cleaners went from exterior, horse-drawn contraptions to interior, automatic robots scuttling around on the floor, explain why UK households buy so many vacuum cleaners and give their expert views on game-changing - and pointless - product innovations.

There's a debate about bagged versus bagless vacuum cleaners and a discussion on when robotic vacuum cleaners might be able to clean more than just the floors.

Dough looks at where the smart money's going now and what that could mean for all of us in the years ahead.

Produced by Jon Douglas. Dough is a BBC Audio North production for BBC Radio 4 and BBC Sounds.

In the meantime, Dough is available in the Sliced Bread feed on BBC Sounds

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