Why do some people love wine, while others can’t stand it? Why did Covid strip food of its pleasure for so many? And how much of what we call “taste” is really happening in the nose, the brain, and even our memories?
This week's podcast takes on a listener-requested topic: the science of taste and flavour. Professor Luke O’Neill explains why taste is far more complex than the tongue alone, with up to 80% of flavour driven by smell and only around 20% by taste itself. He walks through the five core tastes — sweet, sour, salty, bitter and umami — and explains how specialised receptors in the tongue, nose, throat and even the stomach detect chemicals in food. These discoveries were so fundamental they led to Nobel Prizes.
The episode also explores how nerves shape flavour: why chilli feels hot, mint feels cool, and fizzy drinks tingle. Texture matters too. Creaminess, crispiness, and mouthfeel all shape how food is experienced. Vision and psychology play their part as well, from expectation bias to the power of nostalgia, famously captured by Proust’s madeleine.
Genetics turn out to be crucial. Some people find coriander tastes like soap; others find it fresh and citrusy. Some recoil from sprouts, broccoli, chilli or umami-rich foods, while others seek them out. Finally, Luke looks at how chefs have been quietly mastering this science for centuries, using fat to enhance flavour, stacking umami to build intensity, and manipulating texture and aroma to transform how food tastes.
This episode was prompted by listener requests from Stephen and Eoin. If there’s a science topic you’d like Luke to tackle next, you can email laoneill@tcd.ie.
