2023 October

• New study finds that most Rafflesia species, which produce the world’s largest flowers, face extinction. • Lack of protection at local, national, and international levels means that remaining populations are under critical threat. • Researchers propose an urgent action plan to save these remarkable flowers, building on local success stories.

The consumption of mulberries (Morus spp.) as functional foods has been on the rise due to their wholesome properties, delicate taste, and unique flav…

npj Science of Food - Variation of wine preference amongst consumers is influenced by the composition of salivary proteins

Determining the structure-odor relationship has always been a very challenging task. The main challenge in investigating the correlation between the molecular structure and its associated odor is t...

Journal of Analytical Chemistry - The development of rapid chromatographic procedures is of utmost relevance to analytical laboratories since the modern pharmaceutical business is continually...

Two intrinsically disordered proteins form a specific structure ID'ed by AlphaFold.

A raft of recent studies and World Health Organization advice leave sweeteners on the ropes, but health experts warn they shouldn't be considered in isolation

Several startups at the intersection of scent and technology have pulled in funding in the past few years. We take a look.

Research shows people who speak another language are more utilitarian and flexible, less risk-averse and egotistical, and better able to cope with traumatic memories

We've got the dish on the hydrating power and potential of sports drinks, those multi-colored beverages favored by athletes and others around the world.

Tea is practically synonymous with the U.K. these days, but that wasn't always the case. Here's the complicated history of how tea became a British phenomenon.

Vitamin water isn't what you think. Mostly, it is just another way to sell bottled water with greater profit margins.

Researchers have an idea how to make taffy taste better.

Mental preparation — and the ability to laugh at ourselves — can ensure that frustrating failures lead to great breakthroughs.

Chanel have their own fields of jasmine in Grasse – there are actually over 200 species of jasmine, but they choose to cultivate the exquisite Jasminun grandiflorum there (it translates as ‘big-flowered jasmine’) which is sometimes simply referred to as ‘Grasse jasmine’, because it grows exceedingly well in that micro-climate. Chanel explains: ‘Grasse jasmine. The...

The Odeuropa project develops novel methods to collect information about smell from culture heritage collections, and represent these to museum visitors and digital databases. When we are reading our favorite books about bygone eras or looking at works of art - we mentally immerse ourselves in the atmosphere of that time and imagine the surrounding scenery, sounds, and, of course… smells! Who among us wouldn't dream of explorin

A quantitative analytical method capable of determining the concentrations of 81 aroma relevant wine volatiles covering nine orders of magnitude of concentratio

Coca-Cola Y3000 comes in regular and zero sugar varietals.

Long-term consumption of a high-sugar diet may contribute to the pathogenesis of several chronic diseases, such as obesity and type 2 diabetes. Sweet peptides derived from a wide range of food sources can enhance sweet taste without compromising the sensory properties. Therefore, the research and application of sweet peptides are promising strategies for reducing sugar consumption. This work first outlined the necessity for global sugar reduction, followed by the introduction of sweet taste receptors and their associated transduction mechanisms. Subsequently, recent research progress in sweet peptides from different protein sources was summarized. Furthermore, the main methods for the preparation and evaluation of sweet peptides were presented. In addition, the current challenges and potential applications are also discussed. Sweet peptides can stimulate sweetness perception by binding sweet taste receptors T1R2 and T1R3 in taste buds, which is an effective strategy for reducing sugar consumption. At present, sweet peptides are mainly prepared artificially by synthesis, hydrolysis, microbial fermentation, and bioengineering strategies. Furthermore, sensory evaluation, electronic tongues, and cell models have been used to assess the sweet taste intensity. The present review can provide a theoretical reference for reducing sugar consumption with the aid of sweet peptides in the food industry.

In the ‘Fashion, Fragrance & the Future‘ edition of The Scented Letter magazine [sign up for the FREE online edition here] we explore the myriad ways that Artificial Intelligence is impacting the world of perfumery – from allowing the perfumers to come up with never before dreamed of compositions, building brand new aroma molecules (and...

Stay cool and hydrated! Discover the benefits of coconut water, nature's Gatorade, and explore its delicious versatility in countless drink recipes.

England currently considers an ‘alcohol-free’ drink as one containing less than 0.05% ABV – differing from a number of other countries that use 0.5% ABV as the definition. A public consultation is now seeking views on whether to raise the threshold for 'alcohol free' to 0.5% ABV.

Letter: Scientists work with food companies to try to improve the health impacts of foods, says Prof Peter Wilde

You've no doubt tried Diet Coke and heard of the likes of Fanta and Dasani. But you've likely never even heard of, let alone tried, Beverly. Here's why.