2025 1+2

Tupelo honey boasts a delicate flavor and an eyebrow-raising price tag. What makes the honey variety so delicious, and why is it so expensive?

Is the non-alcoholic beverage industry failing consumers on flavour?

In a new publication in Nature Communications, Israeli and Palestinian engineers from The Hebrew University of Jerusalem pioneered the use of metamaterials to create whole cuts of meat. The work leverages ...

How does non-alcoholic beer differ from the original - and is it better for us?

In what they've confirmed as the largest study looking at the effects of diet on rates of colon cancer, researchers in the UK say that calcium-rich foods offer significant protections against the disease. Alcohol and red meat? Not so much.

The evolution of AI, more limited-time product offerings and GLP-1 use for weight loss are among the issues expected to play a more prominent role this year.

A look at the top 20 food science trends impacting the food and beverage industry.

If completing the long-awaited trade deal was a geopolitical move to counter Chinese influence, the EU may have missed the boat.

Reducing salt consumption is a global priority, yet strategies focused on domestic salting practices are underexplored. This study examined the impact of variou

European Food Research and Technology - Tonka (Dipteryx odorata) is a plant native in tropical Africa. The tonka fruits contain a kernel, commercialized as tonka beans. These kernels are known to...

Winegrapes exposed to environmental wildfire smoke during ripening can be identified through analysis of volatile phenols and phenolic glycosides. While elevated concentrations of these smoke marker compounds in grapes have been shown to be predictive of composition and smoke flavor in young wines, recent research has demonstrated that not every wine produced from smoke-exposed grapes will inevitably have discernible smoke flavor when assessed as young wine 6 weeks after bottling. This is supported by anecdotal reports from wine producers that wines that do not appear noticeably smoky when young become noticeably smoky during aging. Yet there is little data available to date on the chemical composition and sensory attributes of aged wines produced from grapes exposed to environmental wildfire smoke. Data are largely limited to smoke-affected wines from model studies with deliberately smoked vines, and suggest that the concentrations of volatile phenols and glycosides may remain relatively unchanged after 5 to 6 years of bottle aging. To address the gap in knowledge, this study followed 49 wines made from grapes exposed to wildfire smoke during the 2019–2020 ripening season and reports the results obtained from monitoring chemical composition and smoke flavor intensity up for to three years after bottling. Notably, the concentrations of volatile phenols and glycosides did not change significantly over 39 months in the bottle, with the exception of syringol, which increased in both smoke-affected and control wines. Significant smoke flavor ratings were consistent over the three years for the majority of the wines (73%). For nine mildly smoke-affected wines, smoke flavor became apparent in older wines, while it had not been apparent in the young wines, likely due to masking by other attributes. These data represent a substantial database of smoke marker concentrations in wine and smoke flavor to provide context when interpreting smoke marker analysis in the future.

Discover the surprising benefits of coffee for longevity. Learn how the timing of your coffee consumption can impact your health.

85 percent of invalid papers continue to be shared after they’ve been retracted.

The notion of food luxury has evolved and democratised in recent years. How did this happen? And what do the richest people now eat?

As spiders do not have antennae as insects, it’s long been a mystery how they can smell.

Discover the surprising link between fluoride exposure and IQ scores. Learn about the potential developmental risks of water fluoridation.

Scientists have long sought ways to help plants turn more carbon dioxide (CO₂) into biomass, which could boost crop yields and even combat climate change. Recent research suggests that a group of unique, ...

Learn about the groundbreaking 'Ant-nose' device developed by NTNU scientists. It can detect mechanical damage in apples, monitor food freshness, and identify hazardous gases.

Can the compound found in plants slow the ageing process and help tackle Alzheimer’s? Food writer Giulia Crouch finds out . . .

In 2024, 25 million people gave up meat for Veganuary. For many, it was a lasting change.

New findings suggest possible strategies to address cognitive impairments linked to alcohol use disorder, researchers say.

Fruit flies have contributed to some of the most important scientific discoveries over the last century. They should be celebrated – not sprayed.

Natural apple essence (AE) has been widely used as a flavor enhancer due to its distinct aroma and taste, but its high volatility restricts its broade…

Acetaldehyde is a vital chemical used in making everything from perfumes to plastics. Today, its production largely relies on ethylene, a petrochemical. But increasing environmental concerns are pushing ...

Eating low-carbon foods helps reduce emissions, but some foods actually suck up carbon from the atmosphere for good, leaving the climate in a better place. Could we eat more of them?

A new study has unveiled fascinating insights into the complex relationship between milk fat globules and bacteria. The research, published in Food Chemistry, explores how the structural properties of ...

Scientists compare how ants and humans solve complex spatial challenges. Uncover the unexpected results of a fascinating study on collective intelligence.

It’s hard work to harvest, but a growing cadre of small farmers and home gardeners are cultivating the spice for profit, or simply pleasure.

Vegetarians who ate ultra-processed meat alternatives were 42 percent more likely to have depression, a study says.

Coca-Cola is an enduring American classic - the first of many cola soft drinks. We all know it's delicious, but what is the actual flavor of Coke?