Nak-Eon Choi, Jung H Han

How Flavor Works

The Science of Taste and Aroma

• Broschiertes Buch

Produktbeschreibung

Taste is the number one driving force in the decision to purchase a food product and food consumption is the most critical function for living organisms to obtain the energy and resources essential to their vitality. Flavor and aroma are therefore universally important concepts: intrinsic to human well-being and pleasure, and of huge significance for the multi-trillion dollar global food business. How Flavor Works: the Science of Taste and Aroma offers a fascinating and accessible primer on the concepts of flavor science for all who have an interest in food and related topics. Professionals and students of food science and technology who do not already specialize in flavor science will find it a valuable reference on a topic crucial to how consumers perceive and enjoy food products. In this regard, it will also be of interest to product developers, marketers and food processors. Other readers with a professional (eg culinary and food service) or personal interest in food will also find the book interesting as it provides a user-friendly account of the mechanisms of flavor and aroma which will provide new insights into their craft.

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Produktdetails

• Verlag: Wiley
• Seitenzahl: 240
• Erscheinungstermin: 23. Februar 2015
• Englisch
• Abmessung: 226mm x 145mm x 12mm
• Gewicht: 390g
• ISBN-13: 9781118865477
• ISBN-10: 1118865472
• Artikelnr.: 41886980

Autorenporträt

Nak-Eon Choi is Research Director at Sias Co, Ltd, Seoul, South Korea. Jung H. Han, PhD CFS is an Adjunct Associate Professor in the Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition at the University of Illinois at Urbana/Champaign, USA.

Inhaltsangabe

Preface xi
About the Authors xiii
1 What is Taste? 1
Four basic tastes, as proposed by Aristotle 5
Taste is complex 7
Most food ingredients are tasteless, odorless, and colorless 7
Variations in odor during fermentation and aging due to changes in
molecular weight 10
2% is not a small amount 12
2 The Origins of Taste: Why do we Taste? 15
Sweetness is for identifying energy sources (Carbohydrates) 15
Umami is a tool used to search for proteins 22
Carbohydrates are for sweetness, proteins are for umami, but what are
lipids for? 28
Saltiness: the ocean was the source of all life 30
The role of salt in cooking is not merely to provide saltiness 33
The contrast effect 33
The suppression effect 34
Acidity monitors the biological metabolism 34
Bitterness: if it's bitter, spit it out! 37
Some people enjoy bitter tastes 39
The reason we consume caffeine despite its bitterness 40
The olfactory sense is the dominant sensory perception of animals 42
The search for food 42
Avoid danger! 43
Know who it is! 44
Find a mate! 45
References 46
3 Taste is General Science 47
Taste improves with harmonized combinations 48
The taste of meals = saltiness + umami + savory flavor 48
The taste of dessert (and fruit) = sweetness + sourness + sweet odor 49
Tastes influence odors 50
Food has to be dissolved for us to taste and chewed to enhance the taste 52
The main ingredients influence taste and odor 53
Sound has an influence on taste 55
Visuals, colors, and food styles 55
Why does color exist? 57
The basic structure of pigment: why are there no naturally blue foods? 59
Perception varies with individual differences and conditions 61
Differences due to age and sex 61
Individual variation is also significant 63
Differences due to race and history 65
The preference for smells is constantly changing 66
References 67
4 How do we Smell Odors? 69
Olfactory receptors are G-protein coupled receptors 69
G-Receptors differentiate isomers, resulting in different odors 71
G-Receptors perceive multiple chemical substances 73
G-Receptors work simply as on/off switches 75
Depending on the binding affinity to receptors, similar molecules can be
recognized as completely different tastes and odors 76
The broad spectrum of the olfactory sense 77
The transduction of sensory signals 79
Olfactory fatigue is also a functional activity for life 80
The recognition and integration of perceptions 82
Parts of the brain 82
Continuous circulations in the loop 83
G-Receptors can perceive light 85
Understanding G-receptors can provide many answers 85
Pheromones are not mysterious substances 89
References 89
5 What Creates Smell? 91
Odorous molecules are mainly created by plants 91
Why do plants produce aroma compounds? 92
Attracting bacteria, insects, and animals 92
As a defensive mechanism 94
Attacking tools 95
Coincidental byproducts 96
Animals generally smell odorants, not produce them 97
Animal-origin raw materials 97
Unconditional surrender to pheromones 98
Is body odor a coincidental byproduct? 99
Most flavors that we enjoy are created by cooking 100
Flavor production by enzymatic or microbial fermentations 101
Flavor production by heat processes 104
Flavor production by pyrolysis: smoke flavor 106
Compound flavor: creation of new flavors by mixing various odors 107
References 108
6 Technological Advancements Brought about by the Love of Flavors 109
Why do people combine flavors? 112
How many flavors are there in the world and how many ingredients are
required to make all of these flavors? 114
How many odorous chemicals are needed to create a tomato flavor? 116
Perfumers and flavorists create flavors 119
Olfactory training: flavorists must first distinguish odorous chemicals
before creating compound flavors 120
Compounding flavors: aromas are completed through imagination 124
To become a perfumer, a heavy smoking habit and age do not matter 126
The important factor is harmony 126
Applications of compound flavors 128
Types of odorants 128
Synthetic flavors versus natural flavors: which is safer? 129
Advantages and limitations of natural flavors 137
Advantages and limitations of compound flavors 138
References 139
7 How Flavors Influence us 141
Brain development began with the olfactory sense 141
The human olfactory sense is less sensitive and inarticulate 144
Humans' sense of smell has degenerated greatly 145
Proust phenomenon: odor-evoked autobiographical memory 146
Sensorial preference changes destinies 147
Do silkworms only eat mulberry leaves? 148
Humans live with smells 149
Stage of development 149
What happens if you can no longer feel taste or smell? 150
Are humans free from pheromones 152
The healing power of aromas 156
Aromatherapy 157
Aromachology 158
Phytoncide 159
Is geosmin foul or pleasant? 161
Multiple chemical sensitivity (mcs): there are people who are really
intolerant to odorous chemicals 162
References 164
8 Taste is Regulated by Flavor, and Flavor is Regulated by the Brain 167
The sense of smell is directly connected to the imbic system, in other
words, to survival and emotion 167
Neuroplasticity in the brain 169
Is synesthesia a malfunction or a blessing? 170
Taste is a typical phenomenon of synesthesia and neuroplasticity 172
Orbitofrontal cortex: where sight, taste, smell, and touch meet 173
Taste is a part of pleasure, and that pleasure becomes a part of taste 174
Experience affects taste: familiar foods are preferred 176
The feeling of disgust can be acquired through learning 177
Taste is affected by temperature 178
Price: expectation affects the taste 179
Prejudices are effective at distorting perceived senses 180
Even the data from an expert research firm cannot promise success in sales
181
Sensorial perception is an illusion 183
Taste and aroma do not exist 185
A good product image makes it taste better 185
References 187
9 The Future of Taste and Aroma 189
Raw ingredient resources gradually become simplified and their original
aromas disappear 189
More scientific technologies will be incorporated into the culinary arts
190
What is the difference between cooking and the processing of foods? 192
Aroma-releasing television or movies 194
Is the taste of processed foods inferior to that of natural foods? 196
Is it true that obsessions with flavors and seasonings have decreased? 199
Do technological developments of taste modifications induce obesity or
become a key solution to the problem? 201
Technology of satiety: technology of cognitive science for taste and
olfactory senses is the technology of the future 202
Satiety control 203
The era of supernormal stimuli 205
References 206
10 Concluding Remarks 207
References 211
Index 213