Taste, Flavor and Aroma

Flavor is largely a combination of two sensations—taste and aroma. Yet, while we all share the same set of senses, we interpret taste, aroma, texture, and ultimately flavor very differently. Indeed, much more is at play here than just our palate. In reality, one might be surprised to learn that the majority of our nontongue senses are utilized in the appreciation of the food we eat. In this chapter, we discover that the most significant senses in our appreciation of food remain the chemical senses comprising taste, smell, and chemesthesis. These three unique and distinct systems work together to facilitate the passing of information about the presence of chemicals in the immediate environment. By exploring these senses in detail, one learns how best to explore the foods we sometimes take for granted.