2024 February

Brie and camembert could disappear from shelves because the fungi that make them are dying off, French scientists have warned.

Smell has unrivalled emotional power. As such, the art of olfaction is rightfully being included in a new multisensory performance, says perfumer Mathilde Laurent

Researchers from the University of Copenhagen have not only succeeded in using blue-green algae as a surrogate mother for a new protein—they have even coaxed the microalgae to produce "meat fiber-like" ...

A surprising kitchen remedy for cleaner drinking water free of microplastic contaminants.

Scent-based therapy shows promise in health and agriculture, offering disease prevention and agricultural enhancements through novel olfactory approaches. Continue reading to learn more.

Breakdown products of niacin, aka Vitamin B3, may spur vascular inflammation.

Forest and fields change over time. Some very old hazelnuts shells can tell us how.

Plant milk is still more expensive than dairy. Is it cheaper to make it yourself?

Consuming ultra-processed food, commonly known as junk food, has been associated with a higher risk of more than 30 different adverse mental and physical health outcomes, according to a new study. The research highlights the wide range of health issues that eating this kind of food can cause.

At first glance, the carrot might not seem the most romantic plant, yet finding it in your favorite fragrances is somewhat easier than it may appear. The Umbelliferae family, also known as Apiaceae, holds immense interest from a perfumery perspective, as many plants within this family contain essential oils. Essential oils are extracted from seeds (caraway, cumin, celery), roots (lovage, angelica), latex/gum resin (galban), or even the entire pla

Fighting food waste is one of the most impactful ways we can help to prevent climate change. Now researchers at the University of Bath say they’ve found a way of keeping veggies fresh all the way to our fork.

Whether you enjoy peanuts regularly or only occasionally, knowing the ins and outs of what you're eating is key. Let's debunk some popular myths about peanuts.

Nowadays, polenta is a simple dish that you can pair with a lot of foods. But it used to be a stark example of how too much of a good thing can be very bad.

Umeboshi plums are a great way to get that umami kick that you're looking for. We take a look at everything you need to know about this tangy Japanese fruit.

While any Californian can tell you In-N-Out was the first modern drive-thru burger joint, fast food actually has its roots in none other than Ancient Rome.

Abstract. Many volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are used to produce various commercial products with aromas mimicking natural products. The VOCs responsible fo

Inspired by her own personal obsession, award-winning journalist and author Kate Evans dives into the unique charm of the feijoa

Here is a quick overview of naming foods with added flavorings, from the faculty of the MSU Food & Dietary Supplement Labeling Workshop. March 5-6, 2024. Orlando, Florida.

When cutting open a blood orange, you'll likely notice how beautiful the color is, but then you may wonder one key question: Where does the red color come from?

Forget everything you thought you knew about the origins of chocolate. This alcoholic beverage from Mesoamerica is the earliest use of chocolate.

You may recognize these tiny, kaleidoscopic candies from popular Japanese anime shows, tokens in Nintendo games, and as a feature in the film 'Spirited Away.'

There are plenty of different varieties of vinegar, but how do balsamic vinegar and apple cider vinegar stack up? We take a look at everything you need to know.

Sales of meal-replacement drinks have surged in recent years, with brands like Huel taking full advantage of current consumer interest, but is this a foodie phase or a trend that’s just getting started?

Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture is an SCI agriculture journal publishing original research at the agriculture/food interface.

Coconut water boasts numerous health benefits and is even marketed as 'Mother Nature's Sports Drink. But how does water gets inside it? Find out the answer in this article.

The concern over factory-made fare, especially many plant-based meat substitutes, is often misplaced and lacking evidence, says biologist Jenny Chapman

Sotolone, a chiral compound, plays an important role in the food industry. Herein, (R)-/(S)-sotolone were separated to determine their odor characteristics and thresholds in air (R-form: smoky, burned, herb, and green aroma, 0.0514 μg/m3; S-form: sweet, milk, acid, and nutty aroma, 0.0048 μg/m3). OR8D1 responses to (R)-/(S)-sotolone were detected in a HEK293 cell-based luminescence assay. (S)-Sotolone was a more potent agonist than (R)-sotolone (EC50 values of 84.98 ± 1.05 and 167.20 ± 0.25 μmol/L, respectively). Molecular dynamics simulations and molecular mechanics Poisson–Boltzmann surface area analyses confirmed that the combination of (S)-sotolone and OR8D1 was more stable than that of (R)-sotolone. Odorant docking, multiple sequence alignments, site-directed mutagenesis, and functional studies with recombinant odorant receptors (ORs) in a cell-based luminescence assay identified 11 amino-acid residues that influence the enantioselectivity of OR8D1 toward sotolone significantly and that N2065.46 was indispensable to the activation of OR8D1 by (S)-sotolone.

How are beverage trends expected to evolve this year? And are there any up-and-coming innovations industry keep a close eye on? We ask the experts.

Grapevine (Vitis vinifera) is one of the most important perennial fruit plants. The variety Riesling stands out by developing a characteristic petrol-like odor note during aging, elicited by the aroma compound 1,1,6-trimethyl-1,2-dihydronaphthalene (TDN). The UV-dependent TDN contents differ largely among Rieslings grown in the northern versus the southern hemisphere. Highest TDN concentrations were found in Australian Rieslings, where TDN is a scoring ingredient. In contrast, in Rieslings from Europe, for example, TDN may be a tending cause of rejection. A human receptor for TDN has been unknown. Here, we report on the identification of OR8H1 as a TDN-selective odorant receptor, out of a library of 766 odorant receptor variants. OR8H1 is selectively tuned to six carbon ring structures, identified by screening a collection of 180 key food odorants, using a HEK-293 cell-based cAMP luminescence assay equipped with the GloSensor technology.