A few months ago, I read Twinkie, Deconstructed, in which the author investigates every ingredient listed on Hostess Twinkies, explaining what each does, where it comes from, and why it’s used. I found the story of baking soda very interesting, since I hadn’t known it was mined (I only knew about the original process of refining it from ashes), and the reliance of the US food chain on supplements and additives from China frightening, since the information came to me just a few weeks after the poisoned pet food fiasco (and the subsequent lead in toddler toys fiasco).
I was reminded of the book today when I came across this list of food additives on Cooking for Engineers.
Is that....PIE? 