Did you know that... ?

• Flour dust is explosive.
• Homeland security figures prominently in modern food production.
• Glucose, the form of sugar that adds bulk and sweetness to Twinkies' crumb and filling, also adds flossiness to shoe leather.
• The iron compound in enriched flour is also used as a common weed killer.

Like most Americans, Steve Ettlinger eats processed foods. And, like most consumers, he often reads the ingredients label - without a clue as to what most of it means. So when his young daughter asked, "Daddy, what's polysorbate 60?" he was at a loss - and determined to find out.

In this fascinating exploration into the curious world of packaged foods, Twinkie, Deconstructed takes us from the phosphate mines in Idaho to the corn fields in Iowa, from gypsum mines in Oklahoma to oil fields in China, to demystify some of America's most common processed food ingredients - where they come from, how they are made, how they are used - and why.

Beginning at the source, we follow each Twinkie ingredient through the process of being crused, baked, fermented, refined, and/or reacted into a totally unrecognizable goo or powder with a strange name - all for the sake of creating a simple snack  cake.