What you Need to Know About Food Clinical Trials + Why Babybels Are Wrapped in Wax – Xtalks Life Food Podcast Ep. 73

Clinical trials are the primary way that researchers find out if a new drug or medical device is safe and effective in humans, so why don’t food and beverage products that make specific health claims go through the same process? In this episode of the Xtalks Food Podcast, Sydney talks about the burgeoning food clinical trial space, which tend to be more pragmatic and exploratory since they document human experiences with specific foods in the context of the human diet. Food clinical trials are often designed to evaluate specific marketing claims needing scientific substantiation, which increase trust among consumers as well as market value. The team wonder how long food clinical trials have been around for and are looking forward to seeing the space grow.

Also, in this episode, Sydney talks about why Babybel cheese, among other food products, are wrapped in wax. Second to its cheese, Babybel is known for its packaging, consisting of a netted bag in which each piece of cheese is encased in a colored natural paraffin wax skin. However, this red coating isn’t unique to Babybel cheese. Coating cheese using food-grade wax is often a method used on other hard and semi-hard cheeses that only need a few months to age. Wax can also be found on fruit snacks, Skittles, M&Ms, fruits and vegetables to keep them looking and tasting fresh. The team is surprised to hear that wax is used for more than just cheese and wonder whether Babybel wax can be recycled or composted.

Read the full articles here:

What are Food Clinical Trials and What Purpose do They Serve?

Why Babybel Cheese and Other Food Products are Wrapped in Wax

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