2025 7+8

Vanilla is the most popular flavor in the world and the second most valuable spice after saffron. Vanillin (4-hydroxy-3-methoxybenzaldehyde) is the predominant compound in natural vanilla flavor, a complex mixture comprising over 200 compounds. However, its biosynthetic pathway remains unclear. This study presents a comprehensive transcriptomic and metabolomic analysis of Vanilla planifolia leaves and pods throughout development, providing insights into vanillin biosynthesis. Differential gene expression analysis identified key genes involved in the ferulate and benzoate pathways, while metabolomic profiling revealed stage-specific accumulation patterns of pathway intermediates. Vanillin levels peaked 6 months after pollination, followed by a steady increase in the glucoside form. This integrative omics approach suggests a coordinated regulation of both pathways during fruit development, offering valuable insights into the metabolic dynamics of vanillin production and establishing a foundation for future research on genetic and metabolic engineering strategies in V. planifolia.

Decades ago, archaeologists discovered a sticky substance in a copper jar in an ancient Greek shrine. Until recently, the identity of the residue was still murky—is it a mixture of fats, oils and beeswax or something else?

Consumer-driven blueberry quality improvement requires a deeper understanding of how metabolic composition influences sensory perception. This study i…

Over the years, the guidance on eating eggs has been wildly inconsistent, with some studies suggesting that the popular breakfast choice is deleterious to one's health, while other studies prop them up as an excellent source of protein and other nutrients.

Beef is growing in the Petri dishes of ETH professor Ori Bar-Nur, an expert in regenerative and muscle biology. However, he hasn't yet tasted the cultivated meat because human consumption requires official approval in Switzerland. However, Bar-Nur has colleagues who have participated in approved tastings of lab-grown beef. They describe the taste and consistency as being similar to that of real meat. After all, it is beef, the only difference being that no cow needs to be slaughtered in order to obtain it.

Smell and culture. Scent descriptions in novels. Fragrances and class. Stink and stigmas. We cover it all. Scholar, author, and Literary Olfactologist Dr. Ally Louks burst into the zeitgeist in 2024 with her PhD thesis “Olfactory Ethics, The Politics Of Smell In Modern And Contemporary Prose” and we

Abstract. For a long time, the sense of smell was considered the neglected stepbrother of human sensory abilities, and the loss of smell has received littl

Similar to how salt can amplify chocolate flavors or make caramel better, adding salt to whiskey can create a harmonious dance with the existing flavors.

The theoretical basis for dissimilating distinctive aroma profile of strawberry juice during thermal sterilization remains insufficient. In this study…

Strong-aroma baijiu, a globally significant distilled spirit, is renowned for its complex aroma profile. This study employed sensory analysis and adva…

In an unexpected twist in the fight against cancer, humble kitchen bacteria and a plant best known for sweetening tea could one day help in treating one of humanity's deadliest diseases, new research suggests.

One of the shared, fundamental goals of most chemistry researchers is the need to predict a molecule's properties, such as its boiling or melting point. Once researchers can pinpoint that prediction, they're able to move forward with their work, yielding discoveries that lead to medicines, materials, and more. Historically, however, the traditional methods of unveiling these predictions are associated with a significant cost—expending time and wear and tear on equipment, in addition to funds.

A study in Nature reveals how gut cells sense microbial flagellin and signal the brain to stop eating—introducing a sixth sensory pathway that regulates feeding behavior.

European Food Research and Technology - Sixteen different Spanish commercial red wines were subjected to an accelerated oxidation procedure (35 mg/L O2 plus the stoichiometric amount to...

A formal definition could shape future regulation, including what can be eligible for school lunches or food assistance benefits.

Superfood, an au courant word in the American vernacular, refers to mainstream foods that are basically individual components of the Mediterranean diet, i.e., berries, fish, olive oil, cruciferous vegetables, legumes, etc., and perceived as “healthy.” There is no regulation; the main source of information is the Internet. Blueberries and strawberries are generally featured as superior. However, when tested as a whole food in human beings, grapes modulate the gut microbiome, the metabolome and gene expression, and there are associated health benefits. Thus, based on actual scientific data, grapes have earned what should be a prominent position in the superfood family.

Researchers crack a decades-old problem by producing functional casein in E. coli

Roses don’t look beautiful by accident - humans and nature have shaped them.

A solid food matrix (SFM) model system was established to replicate dry food processing environments and investigate how precursors and reaction param…

Vanilla is the most popular flavor in the world and the second most valuable spice after saffron. Vanillin (4-hydroxy-3-methoxybenzaldehyde) is the predominant compound in natural vanilla flavor, a complex mixture comprising over 200 compounds. However, its biosynthetic pathway remains unclear. This study presents a comprehensive transcriptomic and metabolomic analysis of Vanilla planifolia leaves and pods throughout development, providing insights into vanillin biosynthesis. Differential gene expression analysis identified key genes involved in the ferulate and benzoate pathways, while metabolomic profiling revealed stage-specific accumulation patterns of pathway intermediates. Vanillin levels peaked 6 months after pollination, followed by a steady increase in the glucoside form. This integrative omics approach suggests a coordinated regulation of both pathways during fruit development, offering valuable insights into the metabolic dynamics of vanillin production and establishing a foundation for future research on genetic and metabolic engineering strategies in V. planifolia.

The trace compounds in lager beer were extraordinarily diverse, yet the composition of key flavor compounds and the mechanisms underlying their qualit…

Las personas con ‘capacidades sinestésicas’ perciben el mundo como una realidad de infinitos matices

Energy drinks are big business.

Click to enlarge The year is 1985. Windows 1.0 has just been released in North America, and the first Back to the Future film is playing in cinemas. Chemists worldwide who need to draw chemical str…

President Donald Trump announced on social media that U.S. Coca-Cola will soon be switching from high-fructose corn syrup to cane sugar in its drinks.

People have been getting drunk for millennia. Historical records show that alcohol was an integral part of many early civilizations, from ancient Mesopotamia and Egypt to ancient Greece, China, and the Mayan and Inca empires.

Would you like some garum with that?

A team of researchers report in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences on a new graphene-based sensor design that, through machine learning, was able to develop a near-human sense of taste. This device is the first of its kind to operate in a moist environment, better approximating the conditions inside the human mouth.

These are some facts about cucumber that everyone should know, including its unique history, rich nutrient profile, and diverse recipe range.

The Trump administration's trade policy stands to raise prices for vanilla, cinnamon and dozens of other flavoring ingredients used in food manufacturing.