Key Concepts
- Resarchers have discovered tiny compounds that make foods taste sweeter, saltier and more savory than they really are, which could reduce the sugar, salt and monosodium glutamate typically added.
- Several of these taste enhancers are being tested in commercial foods.
- Whether people will consume fewer calories if their foods become tastier remains to be seen; people might eat lots of sweet foods for reasons that have nothing to do with taste.
More to Explore
- Infographic
Enhancing Taste: How It Works
More from the Magazine
August
2008 Issue- News Scan New Close-Ups on Mars, Courtesy of Phoenix
- Letters to the Editors Readers Respond on Doping in Sports--And more...
- News Scan Monogamy Is Responsible for the Evolution of Bees
- Buy the Digital Edition
Humans are hardwired to love the sweet, savory and salty foods that provide the energy, protein and electrolytes we need. In an age of mass-produced products laden with sugar and salt, however, our taste proclivities can readily bring on obesity, heart disease and type 2 diabetes—all among society’s biggest health problems.
But what if a handful of tiny compounds could fool our brains into eating differently? That is the idea behind the new science of flavor modulation. Scientists who have unlocked the long-standing mystery of taste biology are developing inexpensive yet potent compounds that make foods taste sweeter, saltier and more savory (heartier) than they really are. By adding tiny amounts of these modulators to traditional foods, manufacturers could reduce the amount of sugar, salt and monosodium glutamate (MSG) needed to satisfy, resulting in healthier products.
Read Comments (14) | Post a comment
RSS Feeds
Blog
Podcasts
Mobile
Widgets