A collective gasp broke the silence in the tent. Just moments after judging began, police detective Amanda's gravity defying wave cake, complete with leaping dolphins, collapsed into a sad tower of sickly blue icing. 

This is a scene from the opening week of the Great British Bake Off, now in its 12th series and beloved by millions around the world.

For avid fans, the start of the 2021 season was not a disappointment. Paul Hollywood donned a mullet to sing a cake themed country tuneThe judges and presenters sang "Don't bake my tart, my flaky pastry tart" to the tune of Billy Ray Cyrus's Achy Breaky Heart. , while IT specialist Jurgen was crowned the first top baker.

But the real star of Tuesday's show was Prue Leith's technical challenge: the humble malt loaf, a British teatime classic. "This is a really old-fashioned recipe and those of you who are under 35 may never have heard of it," the judge declared. Now, supermarket bosses are expecting a rush on an unlikely list of key ingredients: malt extract, black treacle and prunes. 

No one can forget Bake Off's dramatic moments. From Nadiya's emotional winning speech to Iain's disastrous Baked AlaskaA cake topped with ice cream and caramelized meringue., the show has at times united, and at times divided the nation.

But for many viewers, watching Bake Off appeals to something altogether more primal: a love of food. 

Every minute, people worldwide eat an incredible 11.5 million pounds of food, equivalent to 20 million Big Macs. Today, neuroscientistsA scientist who studies the brain and the nervous system.  believe that an evolutionary drive for sugar is hardwired into our brains. But while our ancestors sought sugar for survival, now the vast majority eat food for enjoyment, not nutrition. 

For much of the 20th Century, scientists actually thought the opposite. They believed the pain and discomfort of hunger forced us to eat. 

James Olds, an early pioneer in pleasure research, thought this was a depressing way to look at life. "For an organism that seeks novelty, ideas, excitement and good-tasting foods," he wrote in the 1950s, "the theory was a Procrustean bedAn arbitrary standard to which conformity is forced. In Greek mythology, Procrustes was the son of the god Poseidon. He forced guests to fit into his iron bed by cutting off their limbs. ". 

Today, there is plenty of evidence to support him. The discovery of popped corn cobs suggests Peruvians were feasting on popcorn up to 6,700 years ago. 

The Bible, written more than 1,000 years ago, contains 1,207 references to food and countless celebration banquets. Much later, in the 1940s, Britons affected by wartime rationing improvised to create mock bananasImported foods declined significantly due to World War Two. Some used banana essence to make parsnips taste like bananas.  out of parsnips. 

Many academics also believe that food has an important symbolic message. "Drinks are for acquaintances and strangers," observed anthropologist Mary Douglas. "Meals are for family, close friends and honoured guests." Sharing food can create and signify social bonds. 

Meanwhile, for some people, food trumps all other desires. In 2013, an incredible US survey found that a majority of American women think eating well is more important than having healthy finances and even a healthy relationship.

"Food is just so much more simple than 90% of things in the world," says one British journalist. "Love, stress and drama - no thanks - give me a burger or a pot noodle any day." 

Is food our greatest pleasure?

Definitely, say some. Food is one of the most uncomplicated joys a person can experience. It does not change across time or cultures. Eating food releases feel-good hormonesDopamine is a chemical found naturally in the human body. It sends signals from the body to the brain. in our bodies and sharing food helps us connect with others. There is no greater path to happiness than tucking into a tasty meal. 

This is ridiculous, say others. For most people worldwide, food is about sustenance, not pleasure. Three crops - rice, wheat and maize - account for 60% of daily calorie consumption. Pleasure should be about things you do not need for survival, like travel, art, music and companionship.