Editorial Profile

Mehdi Iarab

Publisher and editor of The Foods That Shaped Us

Mehdi Iarab is the publisher and editor of The Foods That Shaped Us. He oversees editorial direction, source standards, corrections, and publication accountability for a food-history publication focused on culture, trade, migration, preservation, agriculture, and memory.

Credential: BBA in International Business, LAB University of Applied Sciences

LinkedIn profile

Theseus thesis record

Editorial accountabilityDigital marketingConsumer behaviorCultural storytellingFood media strategy

Named people are credited only when they are real, consenting, and relevant to the page. Legacy and collaboratively maintained articles use the publication byline.

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21 reviewed pages

Reviewed Pages

Sourdough

Source and factual review: Ancient bread evidence, sourdough terminology, natural leavening claims, and fermentation-source quality.

Millet

Source and factual review: Auditing Neolithic Chinese dryland agricultural remains, West African Sahelian domestications, and C14 dating.

Orange

Source and factual review: Auditing citrus hybrid genetics, ancient Chinese agricultural tributes, and the spread of Citrus sinensis.

Sushi

Source and factual review: Auditing ancient narezushi fermentation chemistry, Yōrō Code tax records, and the 1923 Kanto earthquake migration.

Vinegar

Source and factual review: Auditing acetobacter biological mechanics and archaeological evidence of ancient pickling.

Eggs

Source and factual review: Auditing red jungle fowl domestication data.

Milk

Source and factual review: Verifying genetic timelines of lactase persistence and pasteurization.

Butter

Source and factual review: Verifying Neolithic dairy residue evidence and chemical mechanics of churning.

Cheese

Source and factual review: Auditing bacterial cultures, enzymatic coagulation, and the 7,000-year-old Polish sieve records.

Ginger

Source and factual review: Checking biological gingerol biochemistry and Han dynasty botanical records.

Turmeric

Source and factual review: Verifying pharmacological curcuminoid chemistry and Ayurvedic medical references.

Garlic

Source and factual review: Auditing ancient medicinal use in Egyptian records and therapeutic chemistry.

Chili Pepper

Source and factual review: Reviewing capsaicinoid biology and TRPV1 pain receptor context.

Potato

Source and factual review: Debunking the Namur frozen-river legend and auditing 18th-century Parisian Pont-Neuf street vendor records.

Corn / Maize

Source and factual review: Verifying the biochemistry of nixtamalization and alkaline steeping.

Wheat

Source and factual review: Verifying ancient botanical lineages including emmer, einkorn, and Green Revolution yields.

Rice

Source and factual review: Auditing indica and japonica genetic classifications.

Honey

Source and factual review: Auditing chemical preservation mechanics including low moisture and osmotic pressure.

Coffee

Source and factual review: Auditing early coffeehouse bans, political debate, and public-sphere source context.

Olive Oil

Source and factual review: Auditing ancient Roman maritime tax records, olive oil purity metrics, and modern agricultural fraud.

Bread

Source and factual review: Fact-checking the 14,400-year-old archaeological remains in Jordan.