Whether you’re a sweet or savoury kind of person, or prefer something in between, we all have difference preferences when it comes to taste and smell. For example, why is it that some of us can’t get enough of the smell of petrol, but others despise it? We know that there are five basic tastes, but what’s the link between smell and taste? What makes different smells unique? This week we speak to Professor Jane Parker, researcher at the University of Reading, about flavours, aromas and the chemicals that cause them.

Intro [00:00]

Meet the hosts [01:58]

Chemistry of flavours background [03:20]

About the episode [06:31]

Meet the guests [07:55]

Interview [11:30]

The Breakdown: [37:21]

The Expert Test [39:04]

Conclusion [41:45]

Professor Jane Parker

Jane is Professor of Flavour Chemistry in the Department of Food and Nutritional Sciences at the University of Reading, the Food Research Group Lead and founder of the Flavour Centre which provides consultancy, training and technical service to industry (>100 food companies). She has more than 20 years’ experience in flavour chemistry, and analysis of flavours, off-notes and precursors, with a particular interest in flavour formation pathways (Maillard and lipid derived) and how aroma compounds interact i) with each other, ii) with other sensory modalities and iii) with the other components of the food matrix. Jane’s current projects include designing flavour into plant-based meat analogues, extending the shelf-life of millet and a project which involves the study of sweet preference spanning 62labs worldwide. In conjunction withpartners in the US, she has recently published a “Principal Odour Map” of aromachemicals generated by machine learning, which predicts the aroma profile ofunknown molecules. Jane is a Member of the Royal Society of Chemistry and chair of the RSC food Group, recipient of the British Society of Flavourists BillLittlejohn Medal for contribution to the art and science of flavour, andrepresents the UK on the EuroFoodChem committee.

Producer: Shazia Ur-Rehman (CTVC)

Content Producer: Stevie Strowman (CTVC)

Hosts: Mariama Ifode-Blease and Samuel Dada

Guest: Professor Jane Parker

Guest student: William Terry-Wright

Writer: Alastair Collinson (CTVC)

Researchers: William Terry-Wright, Bairavee R T Ravindran

Sound mixer: Pat Pretorius (CTVC)

Cover Art: Sam Osbourne

The Salters’ Institute

University of Reading Flavour Centre