BSF’s News Digest October 2023
Our news digest has been slightly reformatted. The "in the spotlight" articles will contain a summary of the news, while the other - still interesting - articles will contain links only and will now be grouped by topic.
In the spotlight
New taste: Sweet, salty, bitter, sour, umami and … ammonium chloride? | New Atlas
Researchers have discovered the mechanism by which taste buds detect ammonium chloride, exemplified by the salty licorice taste in Scandinavia and the Netherlands. This discovery suggests the existence of a sixth basic taste, although oleogustus was previously announced as the sixth taste.
Guinness World Records crowns new hottest pepper ǀ BBC
Pepper X has been crowned the hottest chili pepper in the world by Guinness World Records, surpassing the Carolina Reaper chili pepper after 10 years. For comparison, a habanero pepper typically hits 100,000 Scoville heat units, but Pepper X registers at 2.69 million units. As a proprietary pepper, Pepper X pods and seeds will not be sold.
AI took a creativity test. It scored better than 99% of humans ǀ ZME Science
A new study suggests that AI, while emulating creativity, is actually very creative in the way we currently judge creativity in students, complicating the debate on its true nature.
Will AI kill our creativity? ǀ The Conversation
Generative AI's ability to produce new texts, images, and audio is disrupting creative jobs. The Writers Guild of America demands AI be used as research tool, not a replacement for its members. AI tools like Claude and ChatGPT offer a creative experience, but their impact on creativity remains uncertain. Balancing human creativity with AI is crucial, and intellectual property law is key.
Can AI crave a favorite food? ǀ The Pennsylvania State University
Penn State researchers are developing an electronic tongue that mimics how taste influences our eating habits, providing a blueprint for AI that processes information more like a human being. The goal is to incorporate the emotional part of human intelligence, as human behavior is difficult to measure and replicate in a robot. Researchers are developing graphene devices to mimic taste receptors on the tongue, aiming to train AI systems to distinguish subtle differences in tastes.
Mars, PepsiCo, Kraft Heinz, and Givaudan on how AI can improve NPD ǀ Food Navigator
NPD takes time. Long hours of R&D lie between an idea and a product launch. AI, however, is helping a range of major companies generate product ideas, as well as do market research and gain insights into the minds of consumers.
AI nose startups take on our smelly world ǀ Crunchbase
Scent is becoming a more digitizable information, similar to images or sound. Technology to detect and identify odors is gaining broader adoption, with 20 smell-focused startups focusing on digital scent detection and odor-based cancer diagnostics, according to Crunchbase.
Laying a controversial smell theory to rest ǀ PNAS
Before the cloning of odorant receptors (ORs), two competing mechanisms for odor detection were discussed: chemical and spectral. The chemical theory posited that odorants respond to molecular attributes, while the spectral theory suggested the olfactory system detects molecular vibrations. Block et al. attacked the vibration theory using synthetic organic chemistry and heterologous expression of ORs, finding no evidence to support it.
Why human olfaction should not be modeled on theories and tasks of vision ǀ Frontiers in Psychology
This paper discusses the importance of understanding human olfaction, arguing that concepts borrowed from vision are not helpful in understanding its functions. Olfaction is a hidden sense, guided by unconscious perception and implicit memory. Flavors, and the pleasures gained from them, are most often consciously perceived. These are experiences mostly determined by olfaction, taste, touch and chemesthesis. A critical examination of the ecological and physical constraints of olfaction and the other senses should be given priority.
How odors warp our color perception ǀ Neuroscience News
Researchers discovered that scents can distort our color perception, revealing a complex interplay between our senses. In a study involving six different odors and a neutral task, participants' color perception skewed in alignment with established associations. However, this distortion was not uniform across all scents, highlighting the interplay between sensory inputs and our daily perceptions.
Classification of tastants: a deep learning based approach ǀ Molecular Informatics
This study uses deep learning models to classify sweet, bitter, and umami molecules in food and beverage industries. The models, trained on a dataset of 1466 tastants, show comparable performance and can be used for tastant design.
Coffee is more than flavor, the creation of a coffee character wheel ǀ Journal of Sensory Studies
This study gathered 679 sensory terms for describing coffee acidity, mouthfeel, and aftertaste from literature, sensory panels, and internet material and correlated into word maps. The reduced terms were arranged onto a coffee character wheel, providing a concise list for coffee cuppers to assess these characteristics. The reduced terms are organized from broad to specific, making it easier for coffee drinkers to evaluate their coffee.
How Sweet It Is! ǀ Food Technology Magazine
A visually oriented overview of sugar and sweetener ingredient trends.
Flavourings
Comment le bon goût s’incarne : le métier méconnu d’aromaticien ǀ NEZ
Flavored vape restrictions lead to higher cigarette sales ǀ Futurity
Food
16 types of salt and how to use them ǀ TastingTable
All the ways the US completely ruined bread ǀ Mashed
Apparently, one pineapple is not a single fruit. here's why ǀ Mashed
As temperatures rise, Sicily turns to exotic fruits ǀ Phys.org
Coca-Cola's beverly aperitif that you've probably never heard of ǀ TastingTable
England looks to change ‘alcohol-free’ definition ǀ Beverage Daily
Follow the science: ultra-processed foods aren’t all unhealthy ǀ The Guardian
From the rear end of a pheasant, Brazil's best coffee ǀ TastingTable
Georgia's tarragon-flavored tarkhuna soda has a radioactive hue ǀ Mashed
Glyphosate: where is it banned or restricted? ǀ Phys.org
How caffeine plays a role in altering the taste of soft drinks ǀ TastingTable
How food nostalgia guides our approach to eating ǀ TastingTable
How hot is ‘Pepper x’? Its creator spent 6 hours recovering from eating it ǀ Scientific American
Industry Insights from NIZO: Great flavour without compromise for plant-based food ǀ Food Navigator
Is vitamin water good for you? ǀ ZME Science
People disgusted with flavor of Coke's AI-generated soda ǀ Futurism
Revealed: the industry figures behind ‘declaration of scientists’ backing meat eating ǀ The Guardian
The ark of citrus ǀ Atlas Obscura
The case against ultra-processed foods is missing one crucial piece of evidence ǀ Inverse
The different ways milk is sold around the world and why ǀ TastingTable
The exact difference between apple cider and apple juice ǀ Food Republic
The impact of reformulation: producer’s nightmare or brand boost? ǀ Food Navigator
The key difference between japanese and indian curry ǀ Food Republic
The scientific reason some beer tastes like buttered popcorn ǀ TastingTable
The vast difference between whiskey and whisky, explained ǀ Food Republic
Vegan oder omnivor - Welche Ernährung ist günstiger? ǀ Forschung und Wissen
What can we do about ultraprocessed foods? ǀ Knowable Magazine
What is hybrid meat and how does it differ from plant-based varieties? ǀ TastingTable
What makes a sport drink truly hydrating? ǀ Mashed
Why an unusual global export industry keeps growing in a developing country ǀ Phys.org
Why coconut water is the ultimate hydrating drink ǀ TastingTable
Why it actually makes sense to eat spicy food when it's hot outside ǀ Mashed
Wild vs normal blueberries: what's the difference? ǀ Mashed
Fragrance
Classic perfumery ingredients — a brief overview ǀ Fragrantica
Dear Fragrantica: Why are so many fragrances discontinued? ǀ Fragrantica
Chanel jasmine harvest: from field to flaçon ǀ The Perfume Society
Health
Artificial sweeteners face more bad press – but is it unfair? ǀ Chemistry World
Bier ohne Alkohol belastet auch die Leber ǀ Forschung und Wissen
Esto es lo que dice la ciencia sobre los beneficios del chocolate en el cerebro ǀ Muy Interesante
Link between fruits, veggies & microbiome confirmed for the first time ǀ New Atlas
Major study claims to identify the root cause of obesity: Fructose ǀ Science Alert
Sniffing plasma helps COVID-19 patients smell again ǀ Drug Discovery News
The real reason science can't explain why people lose their sense of smell ǀ Inverse
The sweet ingredient that soothes your tongue when you burn it ǀ Mashed
Turmeric could be as effective as medicine for indigestion, says study ǀ The Guardian
History
A brighter shade of red ǀ CNRS News
Ancient Egyptians mummified their food to eat in the afterlife ǀ Mashed
Archaeologists discover 5,000-year-old wine at the tomb of Meret-Neith in Abydos ǀ Phys.org
Genetic study of citrus fruits suggests they originated in southern China ǀ Phys.org
How coffee became even more popular than tea in the UK ǀ Mashed
How cults and religious groups forever changed american food ǀ Atlas Obscura
How fried beer came into existence because of the state fair of Texas ǀ TastingTable
How restaurants get Michelin stars: a brief history of the Michelin guide ǀ Escoffier
How tea became an integral part of british culture ǀ Mashed
How Thai food became a worldwide favorite ǀ Mashed
In search of scents lost: Odeuropa explores smell history and olfactory heritage ǀ Fragrantica
The 18th century chocolate drink that preceded the rise of coffee ǀ TastingTable
The evolution of coffee culture: from bean to cup to lifestyle ǀ Hospitality Insights
The rise, fall, and rise again of hard apple cider in america ǀ TastingTable
Von Humboldt bis Nestlé: Diese Menschen haben geprägt, was wir heute essen ǀ GEO
Weekly dose of wonder: The flavor and history of umami ǀ NPR
Why egyptian pharaohs took watermelon to the grave ǀ Food Republic
Why humans have historically preferred to drink cow's milk ǀ TastingTable
Chemistry
8th place 2023 photomicrography competition: Caffeine crystals ǀ Nikon Small World
Compound gives farmed fish a muddy flavor ǀ Futurity
Molecular properties are only weakly correlated, study finds ǀ Phys.org
Scientists find cannabis compound inside totally different plant ǀ Science Alert
The chemistry of grape ǀ Scentspiracy
What stinks? The role of hydrogen sulfide in the gut ǀ Phys.org
Media
Gustology with Dr. Gary Beauchamp ǀ Ologies Podcast
Sensory transduction: how our senses work ǀ YouTube
Perception
Are smell illusions real? ǀ PopSci+
How altering noise can actually change the way our palates taste food ǀ TastingTable
Mapping neural activity patterns and odor perception ǀ Northwestern Medicine
Salt taste is surprisingly mysterious ǀ Knowable Magazine
The neurology of taste: how your brain perceives flavor ǀ IFL Science
Variety is the texture of life ǀ Indiana Public Media
Why human olfaction should not be modeled on theories and tasks of vision ǀ Frontiers in Psychology
Why what we see influences what we hear ǀ PopSci+
Research
Automated aroma and flavour profiling of honey using high-capacity sorptive extraction ǀ LCGC
Downing non-alcoholic beverages leads to a drop in excessive drinking ǀ New Atlas
Google’s AI protein folder IDs structure where none seemingly existed ǀ Ars Technica
Odor reproduction technology using a small set of odor components ǀ IEEJ
Onions n' fungus could make fake meat smell meatier ǀ New Atlas
Perspectives on nasal odorant metabolism research ǀ Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry
Recent advances on mulberry volatile flavor: A review ǀ Journal of Food Composition and Analysis
Study sheds light on the neural underpinning of subjective odor perceptions ǀ Medical Xpress
Tackling the science of taste ǀ Food Technology Magazine
The sweet chemistry of saltwater taffy: air bubbles work all the magic ǀ ZME Science
We finally know what makes orange carrots orange ǀ New Scientist
You say tomato, these scientists say evolutionary mystery ǀ Phys.org
Your stomach could be the key to fighting jet lag, scientists say ǀ Science Alert
Soft skills
We must learn from science that “intelligent failure” is the key to success ǀ Big Think
Sustainability
Climate change is improving French wine—for now ǀ Phys.org
How hop nerds are saving your favorite beer from climate change ǀ Wired
Technology
Bio-nose technology: conferring a sense of smell ǀ University of Maryland
Bio-nose technology: conferring a sense of smell ǀ University of Maryland
Can an artificial nose detect food spoilage? ǀ Phys.org
New AI aims to reduce food and beverage product launch risk ǀ Food Navigator
Trends
Coca-Cola used AI to create its newest flavor: The Y3000 soda ‘from the future’ ǀ CNBC
