When it comes to cuisine and travel in south-eastern Asia where families farm to stay alive, it is a matter of survival. Back to civilization (?), I start to wonder about how cuisine technology is influencing our every day life. Think about it, twenty years ago, no one heard of El Bulli, or the Fat Duck. Today it is a commonly known name inside most kitchens. My kitchen and thinking has been influenced as well but I start to wonder.

Meat glue can help save ingredient costs by reducing the amount of protein required to create a desirable texture, firmness and stability. Meat glue allows the manufacturer to economize at the expense of the consumer, who gets less protein in his yogurt but enjoys the mouthfeel of the real thing.

Transglutaminase is enzyme http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transglutaminase  are typically found in various plants and animals. But Ajinomoto pioneered a process to produce ACTIVA in a commercial process and offer the product as an ingredient to food processors.

The powder allows chefs to leap to undreamed of culinary heights. Beef gnocchi, peanut butter pasta and campari-flavored tofu! What the hell! To show how strongly meat glue bonds foods together, watch Willy Dufresne on youtube. By the way, his food at WD50 chef is pointless and forgive me for being too harsh but I tried his cuisine several times and it makes little to no food sense.

Lastly, it was banned by the European Parliament in May 2010 so go figure.