The chapter delves into the disappointment of buying artificially flavored truffle oil and the complexity of natural flavors, shifting to the psychology of taste and why unhealthy foods taste better. Discussions include aesthetics in food, the evolution of plant optimization, and the importance of a particular kitchen item. Other topics explored are acquired tastes, fermented foods like Söströming, and the challenge of opening explosive cans, culminating in the concept of synthetically modifying vegetables' flavors.
What is flavor? Neil deGrasse Tyson and co-hosts Chuck Nice and Gary O’Reilly explore the science of what makes some foods tastier than others, what is “umami,” and how flavor changed in the 20th century with food scientist Arielle Johnson.
NOTE: StarTalk+ Patrons can listen to this entire episode commercial-free here:
https://startalkmedia.com/show/the-science-of-flavor-with-arielle-johnson/
Thanks to our Patrons Lisa Pulkrabek, David Guilbault, TheRealErikEvans, Daniel Jones, Joshua Troke, Chris Hampton, Shaun Grossman, Pete Evans, Chris Love, and andrea nasi for supporting us this week.
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