Flavour Science: Chapter 9. Odorant-Physiology Interactions: In Search of Effects Beyond Smell Perception

Research on physiological odorant effects beyond immediate smell perception has recently been gaining momentum, not only in view of “re-discovering” the benefits of aromas from traditional foods and herbs, but also, more simply, due to the availability of an increasing number of novel chemo- and physio-analytical tools. Interdisciplinary cross-talk further nourishes the utilization of techniques that were formerly only rarely applied or overlooked, and opens up a window on the potentials of physiological characterization of food constituents, more specifically, of odorants. This article highlights some examples of such current applications and aims at elucidating the diverse aspects of odorant action that may still be partially hidden and awaiting discovery.