Flavor is a multimodal sensory perception arising from gustatory, olfactory, and somatosensory receptor systems that are processed into unique percepts. Understanding how cross-modal interactions impact flavor neural processing provides a more holistic understanding of flavor performance. For example, previous FREC research demonstrated that bitter tastant subqualities impacted the aroma perception of coffee flavor.
In addition, our expertise in flavor discovery is utilized to elucidate how simple food processing steps combined with natural ingredients can improve flavor profiles. By understanding how natural product chemistry can shape the flavor of food, our scientists work with industry to eliminate unwanted bitter flavor. For example, compounds generated in cocoa after roasting have been reported to suppress bitterness perception.