Ten things you never knew about... Marmite

London City Airport has identified jars of Marmite as the food item most often confiscated from travellers’ luggage. Small jars are okay; big jars aren’t. 1. Marmite was first made in Burton-on-Trent in 1902. It took its named from a French word for a type of cooking pot pictured on the Marmite label.

2. The French word “marmite” had also been used in English for a cooking pot or kettle since 1581.

3. German chemist Justus Liebig came up with the idea of Marmite as a way to make use of the brewer’s yeast sludge left over from beer-making.

4. Marmite was included in soldiers’ rations in the First World War. 5. From 2011-14, Denmark banned Marmite because of its added vitamins and minerals.

6. Marmite sales rose by 61 per cent after Tesco removed it from their shelves last October as a result of a pricing dispute with Unilever.

7. Marmite’s famous slogan “You either love it or you hate it” was created in 1996 by their advertising agency.

8. A limited-edition jar called “Ma’amite” was released in 2012 to mark the Queen’s jubilee.

9. A study at York University this year suggested that Marmite may help stave off dementia.

10. “I would do anything for my children, for sure. Except have a Marmite sandwich.” (Madonna).