It's said that the man who discovered umami realized he was consuming a unique taste while eating a bowl of kelp broth. We can only hope that the next great discovery comes to us over our own breakfast, but frankly, we're still working on truly understanding...
I hate fish. All fish. Yes, even crab. Yes, shrimp, too. (Actually, especially shrimp. Why do fish lovers always ask, “Even shrimp?”) Flounder. Salmon. I HATE FISH — get it? And I’m the only one. In all my big, happy family, only I don’t salivate...
In 1980, a candy company launched a new gum aimed at kids. Big League Chew sold a pouch of shredded gum that was meant to resemble chewing tobacco. It came in original flavor, grape and sour apple. Big League Chew was just one of many sweet...
Smell is a powerful and important sense that can transport us back in time to our favorite memories, keep us healthy and make meals taste delicious. But it’s often forgotten, under-appreciated, and still has lots of room for scientific exploration. Why do we have favorite...
More than two years into this pandemic, we finally have an antiviral treatment that works pretty darn well. Paxlovid cuts a vulnerable adult’s chances of hospitalization or death from COVID by nearly 90 percent if taken in the first few days of an infection. For...
The majority of people infected in 2020 and 2021 lost their smell, regardless of how sick the coronavirus made them. That began to change with the delta variant that moved into the United States last summer and took over by the fall. Between 15-50% of people...
Dustin was ready. He took the magic mushrooms — procured with the help of a tattoo artist friend — ground them up, and mixed them with lemon juice, before throwing it all back in a single gulp. Then he put on some sunglasses, strapped on his...
Why would we need the ability to taste sour, or acidity in the first place? Many chemosensory scientists maintain that it first evolved as a warning system for foods that had turned or were otherwise toxic or unhealthy to eat....
The Monell Chemical Senses Center, in collaboration with the Smell and Taste Association of North America (STANA) and Jefferson Health, is conducting a survey of people who have experienced smell and/or taste dysfunction, as well as their caregivers and family members. ...
Few leafy greens garner as many polarized opinions from adults as does cilantro (known outside the U.S. as coriander). The herb, which has been seasoning foods since around year 2 B.C.E., flavors cuisines worldwide, from fajitas to curries. It’s ubiquitous in herb gardens and garnish...