New Discoveries on How We Perceive the Taste of Coffee

For many people, the highlight of the day begins with the enticing aroma of a morning cup of coffee. Now, scientists believe they have figured out why the taste of coffee when drinking it is not as appealing as its smell.

According to researchers, sipping coffee pushes the aroma toward the back of the nose from inside the mouth, creating what is known as a “second taste” in the brain. Since this “second taste” is less sensitive to aromas, it results in a completely different sensation and a lower level of satisfaction.

A New Discovery About How We Perceive the Taste of Coffee

Conversely, some types of cheese that smell unpleasant when sniffed can actually taste delicious, because their aroma becomes more appealing when released from the nose rather than inhaled, experts explain.

For many people, the highlight of the day begins with the enticing aroma of a morning cup of coffee.

Speaking at a scientific conference in Aberdeen, UK, Professor Barry Smith of the University of London stated:
“We have two kinds of taste. The first is when you inhale aromas from the environment, and the second is when the aroma is pushed out of your body through the nose.”

This phenomenon stems from the fact that although we have receptors on our tongue, 80% of what we think of as “taste” is actually detected by olfactory receptors in our nose.

These receptors send signals to the brain, which responds to scents differently depending on the direction from which they are introduced.

Professor Smith gave an example:
“Think of a smelly cheese like Epoisses. It smells like a teenager’s gym shoes. But once it’s in your mouth and the aroma reaches your nose from a different direction, its flavor becomes truly delightful.”

Only two scents—chocolate and lavender—are perceived the same way whether inhaled from the outside or exhaled from the inside through the nose.

In the case of coffee, the taste is significantly reduced when drinking it because 300 out of the 631 chemical compounds that make up its aroma are broken down by saliva, altering the flavor before we even take a sip, Professor Smith added.

Source: Collected