World Food Day.

0:03 Caloroga Shark Media. Five daily trivia questions powered by AI. Hi, I'm Mark Ellison. Today's theme is World Food Day, global cuisines, food traditions, agriculture, and the stories behind what people eat. Question one, World Food Day shines a spotlight on hunger, nutrition, and sustainable agriculture each year. But it also commemorates the founding of a specific UN specialized agency devoted to defeating hunger. Which agency is honored on World Food Day? Question two. If you've enjoyed tortillas, tamales, or pozole, you've tasted the result of an ingenious Mesoamerican technique that treats maize in an alkaline solution to unlock nutrients and create masa. What is this transformative process called? Question 3. From Sichuan hotpots to Indian vindaloo and Indonesian sambal, chilies feel essential to Asian heat, yet they're not originally from there. Before the Columbian Exchange, where did domesticated chili peppers originate? Question 4.

1:23 In the Horn of Africa, meals are often served on a large, tangy, spongy flatbread made from the tiny, gluten-free grain teff, and diners use pieces of it to scoop up stews. What is this iconic Ethiopian and Eritrean bread called? Question 5. High in the Philippine Cordilleras, an indigenous engineering marvel channels mountain springs through stone-walled steppes that have sustained wet rice farming for roughly two millennia. What UNESCO World Heritage Agricultural Landscape is this? We'll be right back with these answers after this break. Welcome back. Question 1. Which UN agency does World Food Day commemorate? Answer. The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, FAO. FAO was established in 1945 in Quebec City to lead international efforts against hunger and improve agriculture, forestry, and fisheries. World Food Day is observed on October 16th to mark FAO's founding and mobilize global action for better food systems. Question 2.

2:43 What's the alkaline maize process that makes masa? Answer, nixtamalization. Nixtamalization uses an alkaline bath, traditionally lime water, to free niacin, improve protein quality, reduce toxins, and give corn dough its distinctive texture and flavor. It was crucial for the health and cuisine of indigenous peoples throughout Mesoamerica. Question three, where did chili peppers originate? Answer, the Americas, especially Mesoamerica. Chili peppers were domesticated in the Americas and spread worldwide after 1492, carried by Spanish and Portuguese traders. They rapidly integrated into Asian, African, and European cuisines, transforming global flavor profiles. Question four. Name the Teff-based sourdough flatbread of Ethiopia, Eritrea. Answer. Injera. Injera is a naturally fermented batter bread whose airy texture soaks up richly spiced watts. Stews. TEF, indigenous to the region, lends a nutty flavor and is rich in iron, fiber, and calcium. Question 5. Name the UNESCO-listed rice terraces in the Philippine Cordilleras. Answer. The rice terraces of the Philippine Cordilleras.

3:57 Carved by the Ifugao people, these terraces integrate forests, irrigation, and terraced paddies into a resilient agro-ecosystem. They exemplify traditional knowledge, biodiversity stewardship, and sustainable mountain agriculture. That concludes today's five daily trivia questions. I'm Mark Ellison, and today's questions were crafted with the help of AI technology. See you tomorrow.