Ten uses for Marmite

ON the day that Suffolk prison officials investigate how inmates got drunk on made alcohol from Marmite, feature writer JAMES MARSTON finds out what else you can do with the savoury spread.

SOME people can't live without Marmite, while others think it is disgusting goo.

IT'S a staggering fact that in 1995 enough Marmite was sold in the UK to spread on 800 million slices of bread - enough for every man, woman and child to eat 100 Marmite soldiers every year.

Back in 1902 the Marmite Food Company was set up in Burton on Trent, after a German scientist discovered that spent brewers yeast could be concentrated, bottled and eaten.

The basic production method has changed little since that day - and Marmite still contains yeast which can ferment sugar to produce alcohol and carbon dioxide.

To make the bestselling spread, brewer's yeast is broken down to release soluble amino acids and proteins.

This soluble material is then concentrated and filtered before going through a top secret process to develop the flavour. The yeast extract paste which results has a blend of vitamins, vegetable and spice extracts added.

Marmite originally came in a small earthenware pot, similar to the kind of French casserole dish called a 'Marmite', pronounced mar-meet - which may be where Marmite gets its name from.

Here's our top ten uses for Marmite - apart from eating it!

1 Fill in holes in wood panelling

2 Wax your surfboard, snowboard or skis

3 Help starving people in third world countries - it's full of vitamins

4 Smelling salts

5 Smear it on a worming pill to fool your cat into thinking its food

6 Bug repellant lotion

7 Make hors d'oeuvres Mr Bean-style, by spreading it on twigs

8 Smear on your bald head to cure baldness - unproven theory!

9 Relieve cramp -it contains salt which helps

10 Make alcohol

Weblink: www.marmite.co.uk

Andrew Chapman, 25, of Coopers Way, Ipswich, said: “I quite like Marmite. I can understand why people either love it or hate it. Marmite on a cracker isn't very appetising. It's much better on toast.

“You could use it as a glue, or even as hair gel I suppose.”

Robin Holdsworth, 32, of Norwich, said: “I can't stand it. But my father-in-law loves it. He lives in Florida where he pays £6 for a small jar of it. It's got a very bitter taste. If it relives cramp it could perhaps be used as a new muscle spray for premiership footballers.”

Market trader Gary Waters, 35, said: “I don't like it at all. It's awful. My two children and my wife love it though. I think it would work as an insect repellent, the smell is enough to make me gag.”

Sheila Chambers, of Parliament Road, Ipswich, said: “I don't like Marmite. It's like eating a load of salt. I tried it once and I've never bought it. My family don't like it either. I can easily understand why people hate it. I can't imagine it would be any good as shoe polish, it would be too smeary.”

Nigel Parker, 38, who runs a flower stall, said: “I like Marmite. It brings back childhood memories of happy days sitting round the table with my old Nan. I don't eat it much now but my children eat it. The jar has never changed.”

Louise Manser, a 35-year-old childminder of Dover Road, Ipswich, said: “It's a savoury meaty taste, I like it. I like it on toast but not spread too thickly. I like it on cheese as well.

“It's quite sticky so it could be a good glue.”