Chemosensory Perception in Food Evaluation and Safety
Human evaluation of food relies heavily on information derived from three primary chemosensory systems: taste, olfaction, and chemesthesis. These systems work in concert, integrating sensory input with data from other physical characteristics of foods to create a comprehensive perception.
The chemical senses are also crucial in assessing environmental safety, particularly in relation to food. They allow us to address several environmental concerns associated with foods.
The Role of Taste, Olfaction, and Chemesthesis
The complexities of odor and taste reception, signal transduction, and the interaction between chemosensory systems in foods are essential to understanding how we perceive and evaluate what we eat.
It has been observed that chemesthetic food sensations derive from direct or indirect stimulation of free nerve endings innervating the mouth, throat, and nose. These sensations contribute significantly to the overall eating experience.
Here is a breakdown of the roles of each chemosensory system:
- Taste: Detects basic flavors such as sweet, sour, salty, bitter, and umami.
- Olfaction: Perceives a wide range of aromas through both orthonasal (sniffing) and retronasal (through the back of the mouth) pathways.
- Chemesthesis: Senses chemical irritants and other sensations like coolness, spiciness, and tingling.
Retronasal Olfaction
One important aspect of olfaction is retronasal olfaction, which occurs when volatile compounds from food in the mouth travel through the back of the nasal cavity to reach the olfactory receptors.
The following table compares orthonasal and retronasal olfaction:
| Feature | Orthonasal Olfaction | Retronasal Olfaction |
|---|---|---|
| Pathway | Through the nostrils | Through the back of the mouth |
| Stimulus | External odors | Volatiles from food in the mouth |
| Perception | Smell | Flavor |
Here is a list of people who have worked on Nasal Aerodynamics Perspective of Retronasal Olfaction: G. Pusswald, S. Ocak, J. Vidyulata Kamath, Victor A. Del Bene, David E. Jip M. van Elst, Sanne Boesveldt, Jacco J. Elisabeth C. Lohrer, Annika Dworschak, Valentin A. D. Novotny, E. Stögmann, J. Michael D. Barnett, Ben K. Mokhtari, Jenna M. Paul M. Sarah Beutler, Liliana R. Alexander W. J. Freemantle, Lorenzo D. Martin Koenighofer, Verena Niebauer, Christian A. Erik Van der Burg, Alexander Toet, Jan B. F. Lorna Langstaff, Allan Clark, Carl M. J. D. Adams, Caroline Darcy, Caroline S. Qian Janice Wang, Henrique M. Fernandes, Alexander W. Y. K. Kiki Chan, G. Gurumeenakshi, Levente L. Mehmet K. Kathleen E. Alexander Toet, Sophia Eijsman, Jan B.F. R. Tahmasebi, S. Grace I. Ng, Chiung M. Chen, Rosalind A. Ray A. Abarintos, Jayvic C. Gerold Besser, David Tianxiang Liu, Christian A. Marco Aurélio Fornazieri, Douglas Manuel Carrapeiro Prina, Richard L. Anika Pützer, Tobias Otto, Oliver T. Remco C. Havermans, Anouk E. M.