In the spotlight

Tufts engineers biosynthetically produce tagatose, a now-rare sugar that is low in calories and as sweet as table sugar

NIMS has been developing chemical sensors as a key component of the artificial olfaction technology (olfactory sensors), with the aim of putting this technology into practical use. In this study, explainable AI (XAI) was used to reveal how chemical sensors discriminate among various odorant molecules. The findings may help guide the selection of receptor materials for developing high-performance chemical sensors capable of detecting odorant molecules. The achievement is expected not only to improve the performance of artificial olfaction but also to advance understanding of human olfactory mechanisms. This research was published online in ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces on September 9, 2025.

Sustainability, personalization, health-conscious consumption, and plant-based alternatives are among the key trends shaping the flavors space, as F&B innovators create new flavor profiles that offer functional benefits and complex yet authentic tastes.

Understanding food aroma remains challenging due to the complex interactions of volatiles and the subjectivity of sensory evaluation. The integration …

Tearing up, sweating and other bodily functions are all signs that the body is trying to expel spicy foods as quickly as possible. But there is a simple reason why some people enjoy those sensations

‘Flint’ aroma is sought after in premium Chardonnay wines. Phenylmethanethiol (PMT) and 2-furanmethanethiol (2-FMT) are known contributors to ‘flint’ aroma; however, the formation of these compounds in wine is not fully understood. In this study, a novel class of compounds that contribute to ‘flint’ aroma postbottling was identified in Chardonnay wine. Glutathione and cysteine bound disulfide conjugates of PMT and 2-FMT were proposed as precursors to PMT and 2-FMT, respectively, and an SPE-LC-MS/MS method was developed for the quantification of these disulfides in wine. These compounds were shown to form in the fermentation media, and their concentration negatively correlated with the increase in sulfhydryl concentration as wine aged, suggesting the disulfides liberate PMT and 2-FMT postbottling and contribute to increases of aroma-active thiols. This pathway may contribute to the liberation of PMT alongside other chemical formation pathways that facilitate PMT release during wine aging.

After years of trying, the electronic nose is finally making major progress in sensing smells, almost as well as its human counterpart. That is the conclusion of a scientific review into the development of neuromorphic olfactory perception chips (NOPCs), published in the journal Nature Reviews Electrical Engineering.

Harold McGee is a man that requires no introduction if you are someone who has worked in food and drink in any capacity at all. In 1984 he published McGee On...

Meet the thrilling alternative vanillas we're all missing out on, for a vanilla tasting party that's guaranteed to make you fall back in love with the world's favorite flavor!

A variety of hops (Humulus lupulus L.), also known as Polaris, imparts a unique minty flavor to beer. This study focused on the minty cooling sensations (initial and after tastes) in Polaris beer. Using selectable one-dimensional or two-dimensional gas chromatography–olfactometry/mass spectrometry analysis, 1,8-cineole, 2-acetylpyrrole, and methyl trans-geranate were identified as candidate compounds. Their effect on beer flavor, including the cooling sensation, was assessed using sensory techniques. The sensory tests indicated that the combined effect of all three compounds could contribute to the cooling sensation in Polaris beer, and that methyl trans-geranate was found to be more effective in inducing the aftertaste than the initial taste. In conclusion, a new mechanism involving these three flavor compounds is proposed for the development of a cooling sensation. The characteristics of 1,8-cineole, 2-acetylpyrrole, and methyl trans-geranate in different hop varieties are also discussed.

Armed with a background in neuroscience, former Google Brain researcher Alex Wiltschko founded Osmo in 2022 with the aim of digitizing scent...-fragrance-cosmetics/formulation-ingredients

Abstract Since antiquity, the sense of smell (olfaction) is considered as a distance sense, just like sight and hearing. Conversely, the sense of taste (gustation) is thought to operate by direct contact, similarly to touch. With the progress of natural sciences, information at molecular, anatomical, and neurobiological levels has also contributed to the taste-smell dichotomy, but much evidence inconsistent with a sharp differentiation of these two senses has emerged, especially when considering species other than humans. In spite of this, conflicting information has been interpreted so that it could conform to the traditional differentiation. As a result, a confirmation bias is currently affecting scientific research on chemosensory systems and is also hindering the development of a satisfactory narrative of the evolution of chemical communication across taxa. From this perspective, the chemosensory dichotomy loses its validity and usefulness. We thus propose the unification of all chemosensory modalities into a single sense, moving toward a synthetic, complex, and interconnected perspective on the gradual processes by which a vast variety of chemicals have become signals that are crucially important to communication among and within cells, organs, and organisms in a wide variety of environmental conditions.

Hops are an essential ingredient in beer brewing and an important economic crop. The female flowers of hops are covered in tiny glandular trichomes that synthesize and store a variety of specialized metabolites, collectively defining the flavor and quality of beer. Terpenes provide the distinctive aroma, xanthohumol has potent antioxidant properties that benefit human health, and α-bitter acids give beer its characteristic bitterness.

L’historienne de l’art Clara Muller revient sur l’histoire complexe et enchevêtrée des arts olfactifs, depuis le XIXᵉ siècle jusqu’à nos jours.

Chocolate lovers know that there is a whole world of chocolate outside of Hershey's. Take a look at some unique chocolate flavor combinations you should try.

Could “fatty” or “starchy” one day become accepted as the sixth basic taste alongside the likes of sweet and salty?

There is new hope for people who have lost their smell. Scientists have successfully tested a breakthrough device that lets people detect the presence of certain odors. This innovative system helps them "smell" again by translating odors into feelings (like touch) inside the nose.

Pepper was overtaken by climate change during its post-glacial spread, a new study by the WSL shows.

Oakmoss: The Perfumer’s Gift

New research shows that the brain separates “what an odor is” from “how it feels,” with each processed at distinct times.

Researchers endeavor to collect odor information to prepare for the exploration of odor prediction. Such researches will require machine learning algo…

The dual ability may inspire next-generation environmental sensors.

The study shows how the brain quickly sorts odors using fast rhythms and later decides whether each smell feels pleasant or unpleasant.

University of South Florida

The integration of artificial intelligence (AI) into flavor development is reshaping the food industry by enhancing precision, efficiency, and innovat…

A group of researchers from the State University of Campinas (UNICAMP) in the state of São Paulo, Brazil, developed a product made from native bee honey and cocoa bean shells that can be consumed directly or used as an ingredient in food and cosmetics. The results were published in the journal ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering, which featured the study on its cover.