Taking stock of new flavours: What's in a taste? Chemists can isolate the components of flavours, and biologists have begun to explain how our bodies enjoy them, but cookery will remain more art than science for a while yet
Article Abstract:
The flavour of food presents a major challenge to scientific analysis. A given food consists of many chemicals that stimulate taste receptors on the tongue or olfactory receptors in the nose. A recent workshop devoted to gastrophysics sampled such chemical and biological complexities. It was shown that volatiles lost during the boiling of stocks and jams could be retrieved using a simple distillation apparatus. Individuals volatiles suggestive of whole foods were presented, and chemists suggested that such concentrates and extracts could be used in cooking without the need for the original flavoring materials or their long preparation.
Publication Name: Nature
Subject: Zoology and wildlife conservation
ISSN: 0028-0836
Year: 1999
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In victu veritas
Article Abstract:
A literature survey and correlational study based on 93 cookbooks covering 36 countries indicates that there is a clear connection between climate and spiciness. This connection is attributed to the key adaptive role of seasoning, that of antimicrobial compounds concentrated in spices cutting the incidence of food-borne disease. This research is not entirely convincing, as there is not yet sufficient information to indicate whether spices have significant antimicrobial effects in ordinary cooking. However, this work is valuable for attracting attention to an important issue and showing the need for in victu research.
Publication Name: Nature
Subject: Zoology and wildlife conservation
ISSN: 0028-0836
Year: 1998
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Tough cookery
Article Abstract:
The ceramic alpha-SiAlON generally occurs as equiaxial grains, but under different nucleation and growth conditions can occur as needles. This finding could have significant repercussions for the search for tough ceramics, as alpha-SiAlON is extremely hard. It has been established that alpha-silicon nitride and alpha-SiAlON ceramics can be made with a similar tough whiskery microstructure. It has been possible to produce an alpha-SiAlON material with very similar strength and toughness to previous beta-silicon-nitride materials. It also has the additional hardness of the alpha-form.
Publication Name: Nature
Subject: Zoology and wildlife conservation
ISSN: 0028-0836
Year: 1997
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