Inside the Factory
Paddy McGuinness and Cherry Healey hit factory floors across Britain for a snoop around their supersized production lines. What are the secrets behind our supermarket staples?
Inside the Factory gives students a behind-the-scenes look at how familiar products are made, transforming everyday objects into fascinating science and engineering stories. They’ll discover the surprising steps, machines, materials, and people involved in getting products from raw materials to store shelves.
Ages 8–14
In What Makes Tomatoes So Savory?, presenter Cherry Healey visits a tomato farm in Worcester, England. She learns why tomatoes are so savory and are used in so many dishes. This video is excerpted from BBC’s Inside the Factory, a series that takes viewers behind the scenes in the factories that make our favorite products.
In The Game-Changing Invention of Refrigerated Transport, presenter Ruth Goodman visits Greenwich, England, to learn how the first refrigerated ships transported meat from New Zealand to England. Learn how an American inventor solved the problem of keeping food cold as it traveled over land. This video is excerpted from BBC’s Inside the Factory, a series that takes viewers behind the scenes in the factories that make our favorite products.
In How Pepperoni Is Made presenter Cherry Healey is at a pepperoni factory in Austria. She watches pepperoni go from a mix of meat to the spicy pizza topping. Learn about the process of making pepperoni, and how chemistry comes into play. This video is excerpted from BBC’s Inside the Factory, a series that takes viewers behind the scenes in the factories that make our favorite products.
In Pizza and the pH of Cheese presenter Cherry Healey visits a lab at the University of Reading to learn why mozzarella cheese is the most popular cheese when it comes to pizza. Could any other cheese have the right properties to be pizza-worthy? Learn how it all depends on pH, water concentration, and stretchability. This video is excerpted from BBC’s Inside the Factory, a series that takes viewers behind the scenes in the factories that make our favorite products.
In Cooking the Perfect Pot of Rice, presenter Cherry Healey visits a rice factory and learns that rice is a type of grass. She sees that white rice and brown rice are the same, they are just processed differently. And, she learns the trick to cooking the perfect pot of rice! This video is excerpted from BBC’s Inside the Factory, a series that takes viewers behind the scenes in factories that make our favorite products.
In Making Tasty Samosa Snacks, presenter Cherry Healey visits a factory that makes delicious Indian samosas. Learn which parts of the process are done by machine and what is done by hand. This video is excerpted from BBC’s Inside the Factory, a series that takes viewers behind the scenes in the factories that make our favorite products.
In What Happens When We Eat Chilis?, presenter Cherry Healey visits the University of Sheffield to learn what makes chilis hot and how our mouths respond. Cherry conducts an impromptu experiment. Learn which drink can cut the heat and how. This video is excerpted from BBC’s Inside the Factory, a series that takes viewers behind the scenes in the factories that make our favorite products.
In Analyzing Convenience Foods, presenter Ruth Goodman explores the changes in United Kingdom cuisine when ready-made curries became available. Learn how microwave dinners changed the way British people ate, and how companies and home cooks worked together to make these meals delicious and authentic. This video is excerpted from BBC’s Inside the Factory, a series that takes viewers behind the scenes in the factories that make our favorite products.
In Chili Production in India, presenter Cherry Healey visits Guntur, India, to explore a chili farm and factory. Her eyes are watering, but that doesn’t stop her from helping pick, process, and grind the chili plants into powder. Learn how chili flakes and powder are made, and how India supplies the entire world with chili. This video is excerpted from BBC’s Inside the Factory, a series that takes viewers behind the scenes in the factories that make our favorite products.
In How Hot Dogs Came to the U.S., presenter Ruth Goodman learns the history of how the hot dog came from Germany to America, and how it got its name. Hint: It has to do with a dog. This video is excerpted from BBC’s Inside the Factory, a series that takes viewers behind the scenes in the factories that make our favorite products.
In Growing Pigs for Meat, presenter Cherry Healey visits a piglet farm and meets a farmer who raises sows who give birth to litters. The piglets are raised at the farm for five weeks before they are moved to an indoor farm where they continue growing for 20 more weeks. Every part of the pig is used; no part is wasted. This video is excerpted from BBC’s Inside the Factory, a series that takes viewers behind the scenes in the factories that make our favorite products.
In Mycoprotein, a Promising Meat Alternative, presenter Cherry Healey visits a factory that uses lots of chemistry processes to make a protein from a fungus. Learn how the protein is made by fermentation, mixing, and freezing. This video is excerpted from BBC’s Inside the Factory, a series that takes viewers behind the scenes in the factories that make our favorite products.
In What Makes Tomatoes So Savory?, presenter Cherry Healey visits a tomato farm in Worcester, England. She learns why tomatoes are so savory and are used in so many dishes. This video is excerpted from BBC’s Inside the Factory, a series that takes viewers behind the scenes in the factories that make our favorite products.
In The Game-Changing Invention of Refrigerated Transport, presenter Ruth Goodman visits Greenwich, England, to learn how the first refrigerated ships transported meat from New Zealand to England. Learn how an American inventor solved the problem of keeping food cold as it traveled over land. This video is excerpted from BBC’s Inside the Factory, a series that takes viewers behind the scenes in the factories that make our favorite products.
In How Pepperoni Is Made presenter Cherry Healey is at a pepperoni factory in Austria. She watches pepperoni go from a mix of meat to the spicy pizza topping. Learn about the process of making pepperoni, and how chemistry comes into play. This video is excerpted from BBC’s Inside the Factory, a series that takes viewers behind the scenes in the factories that make our favorite products.
In Pizza and the pH of Cheese presenter Cherry Healey visits a lab at the University of Reading to learn why mozzarella cheese is the most popular cheese when it comes to pizza. Could any other cheese have the right properties to be pizza-worthy? Learn how it all depends on pH, water concentration, and stretchability. This video is excerpted from BBC’s Inside the Factory, a series that takes viewers behind the scenes in the factories that make our favorite products.
In Cooking the Perfect Pot of Rice, presenter Cherry Healey visits a rice factory and learns that rice is a type of grass. She sees that white rice and brown rice are the same, they are just processed differently. And, she learns the trick to cooking the perfect pot of rice! This video is excerpted from BBC’s Inside the Factory, a series that takes viewers behind the scenes in factories that make our favorite products.
In Making Tasty Samosa Snacks, presenter Cherry Healey visits a factory that makes delicious Indian samosas. Learn which parts of the process are done by machine and what is done by hand. This video is excerpted from BBC’s Inside the Factory, a series that takes viewers behind the scenes in the factories that make our favorite products.
In What Happens When We Eat Chilis?, presenter Cherry Healey visits the University of Sheffield to learn what makes chilis hot and how our mouths respond. Cherry conducts an impromptu experiment. Learn which drink can cut the heat and how. This video is excerpted from BBC’s Inside the Factory, a series that takes viewers behind the scenes in the factories that make our favorite products.
In Analyzing Convenience Foods, presenter Ruth Goodman explores the changes in United Kingdom cuisine when ready-made curries became available. Learn how microwave dinners changed the way British people ate, and how companies and home cooks worked together to make these meals delicious and authentic. This video is excerpted from BBC’s Inside the Factory, a series that takes viewers behind the scenes in the factories that make our favorite products.
In Chili Production in India, presenter Cherry Healey visits Guntur, India, to explore a chili farm and factory. Her eyes are watering, but that doesn’t stop her from helping pick, process, and grind the chili plants into powder. Learn how chili flakes and powder are made, and how India supplies the entire world with chili. This video is excerpted from BBC’s Inside the Factory, a series that takes viewers behind the scenes in the factories that make our favorite products.
In How Hot Dogs Came to the U.S., presenter Ruth Goodman learns the history of how the hot dog came from Germany to America, and how it got its name. Hint: It has to do with a dog. This video is excerpted from BBC’s Inside the Factory, a series that takes viewers behind the scenes in the factories that make our favorite products.
In Growing Pigs for Meat, presenter Cherry Healey visits a piglet farm and meets a farmer who raises sows who give birth to litters. The piglets are raised at the farm for five weeks before they are moved to an indoor farm where they continue growing for 20 more weeks. Every part of the pig is used; no part is wasted. This video is excerpted from BBC’s Inside the Factory, a series that takes viewers behind the scenes in the factories that make our favorite products.
In Mycoprotein, a Promising Meat Alternative, presenter Cherry Healey visits a factory that uses lots of chemistry processes to make a protein from a fungus. Learn how the protein is made by fermentation, mixing, and freezing. This video is excerpted from BBC’s Inside the Factory, a series that takes viewers behind the scenes in the factories that make our favorite products.