Robot tongue can’t lick the real thing
Leatherhead has a whole department of scientists dedicated to sensory perception. They have years of experience and can identify a huge number of flavour nuances with specially trained but completely natural tongues.
We have also invested a fortune in the latest analytical instrumentation (gas chromatographymass spectrometry with time of flight detection) to identify and characterise flavours. Surely it can't be that simple to invent a robot tongue?
Flavour perception isn't just about the basic tastes of salt, sweet, sour, bitter and umami. The nose senses volatile aromas and there's trigeminal response (a pain response from, say, carbonation, chilli or alcohol). Appearance, texture and sound of food all contribute to flavour.
I described last month how colour can influence taste. In addition, texture affects how food is broken down in the mouth to release flavour volatiles. (Leatherhead is launching a two year research project on this in 2011). Even the sound a food makes while being eaten affects flavour perception. Nothing is worse than a crunch-less crisp or a silent Granny Smith apple!
Cindy Beeren, our head of sensory science, says liking foods is influenced by genetic, experiential and social factors. Research shows unfamiliar flavours are liked more after repeated exposure.
Professor Toko's analyser does not use chemistry. It simulates and captures the electric impulses that taste buds send to the brain. But it only detects the five basic tastes. Sweetness doesn't work well and it can't simulate the impact of smell.
I doubt this synthetic tongue will crack Coca-Cola's secret recipe just yet!
Paul Berryman is chief executive of Leatherhead Food Research.
