People are just now realising what Vegemite is really made of

Most people around the world know Vegemite as an iconic part of Australia's food scene. It has a distinctive, salty taste and is typically eaten as a spread on top of bread, toast, or crackers.

Vegemite has been a very polarising food ever since it was first introduced back in 1923, with people either loving it it hating it. Even though it is commonly eaten by many, most people actually do not know what Vegemite is actually made of.

Much like when consumers found out about the bizarre ingredient in chewing gum, or where Parmesan cheese actually comes from, the reality of the ingredients in Vegemite has left many people surprised.

As reported by Daily Mail, an episode of ABC's Great Australian Stuff went into details about the really surprising ingredient that is inside Vegemite.

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The history of vegemite

Vegemite was created in order to resemble Marmite, the thick, dark brown, sticky spread first produced in the United Kingdom. Marmite went on to be popular elsewhere, including Australia.

However, there came a time when Australia could not afford to import Marmite anymore, leading to a food manufacturer to request a product similar to British Marmite.

As per the report, the voiceover in the program elaborates on how Vegemite came to be

During World War 1, Marmite stocks ran out so we started looking for something else. Britain started making Marmite in 1902, the world's very first yeast spread.

When Aussies couldn't get enough of it, Fred Walker, a businessman in the food industry, saw an opportunity.

He challenged a food scientist called Cyril Callister to come up with an equivalent to Marmite.

Mr. Callister had originally named the product 'Pure Vegetable Extract,' which later was changed to the name we know it by today: Vegemite.

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How vegemite is actually made of

Although Vegemite was first marketed as food for babies, today it is eaten by adults and kids alike. In fact, this year marked a century since Vegemite was first introduced.

Daily Mail states that the show also revealed that one of the more unexpected ingredients inside Vegemite was 'brewer's waste,' which is a by-product of beer. Yes, apart from having ingredients such as vegetables and spices, Vegemite also requires beer leftovers!

The program shows that the brown sludge from left from making beer is put inside Vegemite. Turns out even regular Vegemite eaters actually did not have any idea about this.

Sources used:

Daily Mail: 'Aussies are 'disgusted' after finding out what Vegemite is made from - and what it was originally called'