The taste of food

Taste and smell are organ-based sensations. and they’re connected. Taste buds, comprised of sensory cells, can detect “tastants” in food. When activated, these cells deliver messages to the brain that trigger taste. Specialized cells in the nose take up airborne odorants. They start a neuronal response by activating receptor proteins on sensory cell cilia. Taste and smell signals combine to describe food flavor. Taste and smell are organ-based sensations. This is most obvious when thinking about food flavor. When you can’t smell food, it “tastes” different. What’s changed is the food’s taste and scent. Only taste is recognized, not food scents. Taste involves identifying sweet, salty, sour, bitter, or umami (Japanese for “savory”) chemicals. When taste and aroma work together, we enjoy meals more.