Consumers\' mental pictures of wine are multifaceted and are shaped by their sensory (taste, smell, visual, sensation) perceptions, in addition to emotional, cultural and extrinsic (brand, price, and awards) influences. This study explores whether consumers from three different wine cultures share mental representations of three wine concepts. Through an online survey, French, Portuguese, and South African wine consumers described their conceptualizations of Wine, Red wine and White wine aroma. Given these nations\' rich winemaking traditions and diverse wine styles, differences in consumer perspectives were likely to emerge. The findings demonstrate that, regardless of cultural background, the broad concept of Wine aligns with the more specific Red and White wine conceptualizations, although the latter concepts diverge from each other. Notably, cultural contexts significantly influence participants\' representations of Red Wine, with particularly marked contrasts between the South African and French respondents. This suggests that like experts, wine consumers have also built representations of wine through semantic memory. This cross-cultural analysis of consumer interpretations of wine concepts holds the potential for refining marketing strategies to overcome cultural barriers in wine purchasing behaviour.

Cultured meat is emerging as a new type of food that can provide animal protein in a sustainable way. Many previous studies employed various types of scaffolds to develop cultured meat with similar properties to slaughtered meat. However, important properties such as flavor were not discussed, even though they determine the quality of food. Flavor characteristics vary dramatically depending on the amount and types of amino acids and sugars that produce volatile compounds through the Maillard reaction upon cooking. In this study, a flavor-switchable scaffold is developed to release meaty flavor compounds only upon cooking temperature mimicking the Maillard reaction of slaughtered meat. By introducing a switchable flavor compound (SFC) into a gelatin-based hydrogel, we fabricate a functional scaffold that can enhance the aromatic properties of cultured meat. The temperature-responsive SFC stably remains in the scaffold during the cell culture period and can be released at the cooking temperature. Surprisingly, cultured meat fabricated with this flavor-switchable scaffold exhibits a flavor pattern similar to that of beef. This research suggests a strategy to develop cultured meat with enhanced sensorial characteristics by developing a functional scaffold which can mimic the natural cooking flavors of conventional meat.

This study was carried out to assess the quality properties, components associated with taste and aroma of beef as a function of breed. For this purpose, steers from four Korean native cattle breeds: Hanwoo (n=10), Chikso (n=10), black Hanwoo (n=12, BHW) and Jeju black cattle (n=12, JBC) were used. The steers all were raised under identical conditions and finished at a similar age of around 30-months old. Following 24 h of slaughter, all longissimus lumborum muscles were collected and used for analysis of meat quality, fatty acids, and flavor-related components (metabolic compounds, free amino acids, and aroma volatiles). The Hanwoo presented a significantly higher intramuscular fat content (IMF, 22.85%) than the BHW (11.78%), Chikso (9.25%), and JBC (9.14%; p<0.05). The meat of Hanwoo breed showed lighter and redder color, and lower shear force value (p<0.05). The JBC presented a \"healthier\" fatty acid profiles as it had a higher total unsaturated fatty acids content (p<0.05). With regard to flavor-related components, Hanwoo also had higher total contents of free amino acids and metabolites associated with umami and sweet tastes, and fat-derived volatile compounds (aldehydes, alcohols, and ketones) associated with fatty aroma. It may be concluded that there was a considerable difference in the meat quality properties among breeds. The variations of IMF content and flavor-related components may be the main factors contributing to the typical flavors of beef among the four Korean native cattle breeds.

Consumer trends towards nutrient-rich foods are contributing to global increasing demand for tropical fruit. However, commercial cultivars in the breeding pipeline that are tailored to meet market demand are at risk of possessing reduced fruit flavour qualities. This stems from recurrent prioritised selection for superior agronomic traits and not fruit flavour, which may in turn reduce consumer satisfaction. There is realisation that fruit quality traits, inclusive of flavour, must be equally selected for; but currently, there are limited tools and resources available to select for fruit flavour traits, particularly in tropical fruit species. Although sugars, acids, and volatile organic compounds are known to define fruit flavour, the specific combinations of these, that result in defined consumer preferences, remain unknown for many tropical fruit species. To define and include fruit flavour preferences in selective breeding, it is vital to determine the metabolites that underpin them. Then, objective quantitative analysis may be implemented instead of solely relying on human sensory panels. This may lead to the development of selective genetic markers through integrated omics approaches that target biosynthetic pathways of flavour active compounds. In this review, we explore progress in the development of tools to be able to strategically define and select for consumer-preferred flavour profiles in the breeding of new cultivars of tropical fruit species.

Social science research argues that differences in individuals\' literary and cultural tastes originate in social environments. Yet, it might be that these differences are partly associated with genetic differences between individuals. To address this possibility, we use nation-scale registry data on library borrowing among Danish twins (N = 67,900) to assess the heritability of literary tastes. We measure literary tastes via borrowing of books of different genres (e.g., crime and biographical novels) and formats (physical, digital, and audio) and decompose the total variance in literary tastes into components attributable to shared genes (heritability), shared environments (social environment shared by siblings), and unique environments (social environments not shared by siblings). We find that genetic differences account for 45-70 percent of the total variance in literary tastes, shared environments account for almost none of the variance, and unique environments account for a moderate share. These results suggest that literary tastes are approximately as heritable as other human phenotypes (e.g., physical traits, cognition, and health). Moreover, heritability is higher for socioeconomically disadvantaged groups than for advantaged groups. Overall, our results suggest that research should consider the role of genetic differences in accounting for individual differences in literary and broader cultural tastes.

Chemosensory impairment is an outstanding symptom of SARS-CoV-2 infections. We hypothesized that measured sensory impairments are accompanied by transcriptomic changes in the foliate papillae area of the tongue. Hospital personnel with known SARS-CoV-2 immunoglobulin G (IgG) status completed questionnaires on sensory perception (n = 158). A subcohort of n = 141 participated in forced choice taste tests, and n = 43 participants consented to donate tongue swabs of the foliate papillae area for whole transcriptome analysis. The study included four groups of participants differing in IgG levels (≥ 10 AU/mL = IgG+; < 10 AU/mL = IgG-) and self-reported sensory impairment (SSI±). IgG+ subjects not detecting metallic taste had higher IgG+ levels than IgG+ participants detecting iron gluconate (p = 0.03). Smell perception was the most impaired biological process in the transcriptome data from IgG+/SSI+ participants subjected to gene ontology enrichment. IgG+/SSI+ subjects demonstrated lower expression levels of 166 olfactory receptors (OR) and 9 taste associated receptors (TAS) of which OR1A2, OR2J2, OR1A1, OR5K1 and OR1G1, as well as TAS2R7 are linked to metallic perception. The question raised by this study is whether odorant receptors on the tongue (i) might play a role in metal sensation, and (ii) are potential targets for virus-initiated sensory impairments, which needs to be investigated in future functional studies.

Rice wine, well known for its unique flavor, rich nutritional value, and health benefits, has potential for extensive market development. Rhizopus and Aspergillus are among several microorganisms used in rice wine brewing and are crucial for determining rice wine quality. The strains were isolated via Rose Bengal and starch as a combined separation medium, followed by oenological property and sensory evaluation screening. The strain exhibiting the best performance can be screened using the traditional rice wine Qu. The strains YM-8, YM-10, and YM-16, which exhibited strong saccharification and fermentation performance along with good flavor and taste, were obtained from traditional rice wine Qu. Based on ITS genetic sequence analysis, the YM-8, YM-10, and YM-16 strains were identified as Rhizopus microsporus, Rhizopus arrhizus, and Aspergillus oryzae. The optimum growth temperature of each of the three strains was 30°C, 32°C, and 30°C, and the optimum initial pH was 6.0, 6.5, and 6.5, respectively. The activities of α-amylase, glucoamylase, and protease of YM-16 were highest at 220.23±1.88, 1,269.04±30.32, and 175.16±1.81 U/g, respectively. The amino acid content of rice wine fermented in a 20-L bioreactor with the three mold strains was higher than that of the control group, except for arginine, which was significantly lower than that of the control group. The total amino acid content and the total content of each type of amino acid were ranked as YM-16 > YM-8 > YM-10 > control group, and the amino acid content varied greatly among the strains. The control group had a higher content, whereas YM-8 and YM-16 had lower contents of volatile aroma components than the control group and had the basic flavor substances needed for rice wine, which is conducive to the formation of rice wine aroma. This selected strain, YM-16, has strong saccharification and fermentation ability, is a rich enzyme system, and improves the flavor of rice wine, thereby demonstrating its suitability as a production strain for brewing.

This study investigated the complex interaction between individuals\' culinary tastes, at-home dining habits, and their broader impact on general well-being and relationships dynamics. An all-encompassing tool for assessing the impact of dietary choices on emotions related to coziness, social interaction, and general wellness, the multidimensional Culinary Comfort and Connection Index (CCCI) focuses on traditional home-cooked meals, in particular. We used an online-based survey to validate the CCCI. With a Cronbach alpha of 0.844, this scale is reliable and valid. It covers a wide range of aspects including self-care advocacy, traditional values, and a preference for handmade food. We performed descriptive and stratified analyses and tested correlations. The CCCI shows complicated patterns when analyzed with respect to gender, education level, and family income that demonstrate a myriad of factors impacting people\'s views on food and its relationship to health. While some patterns emerged, the results imply that dietary choices do not necessarily correlate with overall health. The research highlights the complex interaction between cultural, societal, and personal elements in determining perspectives on nutrition and health by drawing on theoretical models like Bronfenbrenner\'s ecological systems theory and the Theory of Planned Behavior. Future research should incorporate broader age ranges, longitudinal designs, different populations, objective measurements, and intervention trials to better understand the dynamic link between dietary preferences and health outcomes.

Understanding the role of biased taste T1R2/T1R3 G protein-coupled receptors (GPCR) agonists on glycosylated receptor signaling may provide insights into the opposing effects mediated by artificial and natural sweeteners, particularly in cancer and metastasis. Sweetener-taste GPCRs can be activated by several active states involving either biased agonism, functional selectivity, or ligand-directed signaling. However, there are increasing arrays of sweetener ligands with different degrees of allosteric biased modulation that can vary dramatically in binding- and signaling-specific manners. Here, emerging evidence proposes the involvement of taste GPCRs in a biased GPCR signaling crosstalk involving matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) and neuraminidase-1 (Neu-1) activating glycosylated receptors by modifying sialic acids. The findings revealed that most natural and artificial sweeteners significantly activate Neu-1 sialidase in a dose-dependent fashion in RAW-Blue and PANC-1 cells. To confirm this biased GPCR signaling crosstalk, BIM-23127 (neuromedin B receptor inhibitor, MMP-9i (specific MMP-9 inhibitor), and oseltamivir phosphate (specific Neu-1 inhibitor) significantly block sweetener agonist-induced Neu-1 sialidase activity. To assess the effect of artificial and natural sweeteners on the key survival pathways critical for pancreatic cancer progression, we analyzed the expression of epithelial-mesenchymal markers, CD24, ADLH-1, E-cadherin, and N-cadherin in PANC-1 cells, and assess the cellular migration invasiveness in a scratch wound closure assay, and the tunneling nanotubes (TNTs) in staging the migratory intercellular communication. The artificial and natural sweeteners induced metastatic phenotype of PANC-1 pancreatic cancer cells to promote migratory intercellular communication and invasion. The sweeteners also induced the downstream NFκB activation using the secretory alkaline phosphatase (SEAP) assay. These findings elucidate a novel taste T1R2/T1R3 GPCR functional selectivity of a signaling platform in which sweeteners activate downstream signaling, contributing to tumorigenesis and metastasis via a proposed NFκB-induced epigenetic reprogramming modeling.

β C-S lyases (β-CSLs; EC 4.4.1.8) are enzymes catalyzing the dissociation of β carbon-sulfur bonds of cysteine S-conjugates to produce odorant metabolites with a free thiol group. These enzymes are increasingly studied for their role in flavor generation in a variety of food products, whether these processes occur directly in plants, by microbial β-CSLs during fermentation, or in the mouth under the action of the oral microbiota. Microbial β-CSLs react with sulfur aroma precursors present in beverages, vegetables, fruits, or aromatic herbs like hop but also potentially with some precursors formed through Maillard reactions in cooked foods such as meat or coffee. β-CSLs from microorganisms like yeasts and lactic acid bacteria have been studied for their role in the release of polyfunctional thiols in wine and beer during fermentation. In addition, β-CSLs from microorganisms of the human oral cavity were shown to metabolize similar precursors and to produce aroma in the mouth with an impact on retro-olfaction. This review summarizes the current knowledge on β-CSLs involved in flavor generation with a focus on enzymes from microbial species present either in the fermentative processes or in the oral cavity. This paper highlights the importance of this enzyme family in the food continuum, from production to consumption, and offers new perspectives concerning the utilization of β-CSLs as a flavor enhancer.