MolecularGastronomy:ANewEmergingScientificDisciplinePeterBarham,LeifH.Skibsted,WenderL.P.Bredie,MichaelBomFrst,PerMller,JensRisbo,PiaSnitkjr,andLouiseMrchMortensenDepartmentofPhysics,UniversityofBristol,H.H.WillsPhysicsLaboratory,TyndallAvenue,Bristol,UnitedKingdomBS81TLandDepartmentofZoology,UniversityofCapeTown,Rondebosch,7701CapeTown,SouthAfricaandDepartmentofFoodScience,UniversityofCopenhagen,Rolighedsvej30,DK-1958,Frederiksberg,DenmarkReceivedMarch18,2009Contents1.Introduction23132.Senses23162.1.SenseofTaste23172.2.SenseofSmell23172.2.1.PerceptionofAroma23182.3.Chemesthesis23182.4.Texture(SenseofTouch)23182.5.Temperature23192.6.ConceptofFlavor23192.7.MultimodalIntegration23192.8.AdaptationandSuppression23202.8.1.Adaptation23202.8.2.MixtureSuppression23203.HowDifferentFoodProductionTechniquesMayAffectFlavorandTexture23203.1.OrganicvsConventionalFarming23213.2.EffectofFeedontheFlavorofMeat23213.3.EffectofFeedontheFlavorandTextureofDairyProducts23213.4.FlavorVariationinFruitsandVegetables23224.FoodProcessing(Cookery)23224.1.FlavorDevelopment23234.1.1.MicrobialReactions23234.1.2.ChemicalReactionsAffectingFlavor23254.1.3.IllustrativeExample:PreparingMeatStocks23324.2.ColorofFood23344.2.1.ColorofMeats23344.2.2.ColorofFruitandVegetables23364.3.TexturesinFoodandHowToMakeThem23374.3.1.RelationshipsbetweenPerceivedTextureandMeasurablePhysicalProperties23384.3.2.ComplexNontissueFoods:FoamsandEmulsions23384.3.3.CrystallineStateinFoods23434.3.4.GlassyStateinFoods23444.3.5.GelsandGelation23454.3.6.CookingofMeat23484.4.CookingMethodsandHowTheyWork23504.4.1.TraditionalCookingMethods23514.4.2.“New”CookingTechniques23535.EnjoymentandPleasureofEating:SensoryPerceptionofFlavor,Texture,Deliciousness,Etc23555.1.FlavorRelease23555.2.MatrixInteractionsandThermodynamicAspects23555.3.TransportofVolatilesandKineticPhenomena23565.4.InVivoFlavorGeneration23565.5.SensoryPerceptionofFlavor:ComplexityandDeliciousness23566.SummaryandtheFuture23586.1.ComplexityandSatiety:RelationshipsbetweenLiking,Quality,andIntake23596.2.ModelsforCooksandChefs23606.3.LanguageofSensoryProperties:EngagingthePublic23606.4.ScienceEducationUsingFoodasExemplars23616.5.WhatIsMolecularGastronomy?WhereWillItEndUp?23617.Acknowledgments23618.References23621.IntroductionThescienceofdomesticandrestaurantcookinghasrecentlymovedfromtheplaygroundofafewinterestedamateursintotherealmofseriousscientificendeavor.Anumberofrestaurantsaroundtheworldhavestartedtoadoptamorescientificapproachintheirkitchens,13andperhapspartlyasaresult,severalofthesehavebecomeacclaimedasbeingamongthebestintheworld.4,5Today,manyfoodwritersandchefs,aswellasmostgourmets,agreethatchemistryliesattheheartoftheveryfinestfoodavailableinsomeoftheworldsfinestrestaurants.Atleastintheworldofgourmetfood,chemistryhasmanagedtoreplaceitsoftentarnishedimagewithagrowingrespectastheapplicationofbasicchemistryinthekitchenhasprovidedthestartingpointforawholenewcuisine.Theapplicationofchemistryandothersciencestorestaurantanddomesticcookingisthusmakingapositiveimpactinaverypublicarenawhichinevitablygivescredencetothesubjectasawhole.Asyet,however,thisactivityhasbeenlargelyintheformofsmallcollaborationsbetweenscientistsandchefs.Todate,little“newscience”hasemerged,butmanynovelapplica-tionsofexistingsciencehavebeenmade,assistingchefstoproducenewdishesandextendtherangeoftechniquesavailableintheirkitchens.Littleofthisworkhasappearedinthescientificliterature,2,3,69buttheworkhasreceivedanenormousamountofmediaattention.AquickGooglesearch*Towhomcorrespondenceshouldbeaddressed.E-mail:Peter.Barhambristol.ac.uk.UniversityofBristolandUniversityofCapeTown.UniversityofCopenhagen.Chem.Rev.2010,110,23132365231310.1021/cr900105w2010AmericanChemicalSocietyPublishedonWeb02/19/2010willrevealthousandsofnewsarticlesoverthepastfewyears;averyfewrecentexamplescanbefoundinChina,10theUnitedStates,11,12andAustralia.13Inthisreviewwebringtogetherthemanystrandsofchemistrythathavebeenandareincreasinglybeingusedinthekitchentoprovideasoundbasisforfurtherdevelopmentsinthearea.Wealsoattemptthroughouttoshowusingrelevantillustrativeexampleshowknowledgeandunder-standingofchemistrycanbeappliedtogoodeffectinthedomesticandrestaurantkitchen.Ourbasicpremiseisthattheapplicationofchemicalandphysicaltechniquesinsomerestaurantkitchenstoproducenoveltexturesandflavorcombinationshasnotonlyrevo-lutionizedtherestaurantexperiencebutalsoledtonewenjoymentandappreciationoffood.ExamplesincludeElBulli(inSpain)andtheFatDuck(intheUnitedKingdom),tworestaurantsthatsinceadoptingascientificapproachtocookinghavebecomewidelyregardedasamongthefinestPeterBarhamisaProfessorofPhysicsatBristolUniversityU.K.,honoraryProfessorofMolecularGastronomyintheLifeSciencesfacultyoftheUniversityofCopenhagen,andhonoraryResearchAssociateattheAnimalDemographyUnitinZoologyattheUniversityofCapeTown.InBristol,inadditiontocarryingouthisownoriginalresearchinfundamentalPolymerPhysicsandintheconservationofpenguins,heisinvolvedinundergradu-ateandpostgraduateteachingandarangeofadministrativetasks.InCapeTownheisi