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Environment

‘Flavour is under siege’: how food in America lost its taste

The Guardian UK Thursday 28 May 2026, 14:00 UTC By Harry Holmes 1 min read
Key Points

Industrialised farming over the last century has reportedly led to a decline in the flavour of food in America. In response, a group of chefs, breeders, and farmers are working to restore the taste of food. One such effort involves Bill Tracy, a sweetcorn breeder in Wisconsin who has spent 40 years searching for the perfect corn variety.

In the last century, industrialized farming has killed off delicious food – but a brigade of chefs, breeders and farmers are fighting to bring it back

Bill Tracy is clearly not one to brag, but after a while, it seems he just can’t help himself. “I did come up with something absolutely amazing actually,” he gleams softly. “Really quite amazing.”

Tracy has spent the last 40 years in the fields of Wisconsin as one of the US’s leading sweetcorn breeders, tasting up to 300 ears a day in search of the perfect corn that might one day sizzle on barbecues across the country.

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Originally published by The Guardian UK Read original →

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