Study Shows Smell Can Trick the Brain Into Tasting Flavor
Why does a sugar-free drink with a fruity scent still taste sweet? A Swedish study suggests that the brain interprets certain smells as flavors, effectively blurring the line between taste and odor.
Researchers at the Karolinska Institute used functional MRI scans to explore how 25 healthy adults responded to different combinations of tastes and scents. Participants were first exposed to sweet and salty flavors paired with specific odors. Algorithms trained on brain activity patterns learned to distinguish between these “flavor experiences.” Later, when only the associated smells were presented, the same taste-related patterns reappeared in the brain, even without actual flavor input.
The findings, published on Sept. 13 in Nature Communications, show that the insula, also known as the taste cortex, integrates both smell and taste signals before passing them on to higher brain regions involved in emotion and decision-making. Lead researcher Janina Seubert noted that the brain does not process taste and smell separately but fuses them into a unified experience called “flavor.”
The results help explain why odors strongly influence food preferences and cravings. Co-author Putu Agus Khorisantono added that scents linked to sweetness or saltiness may heighten the pleasure of eating, but also risk encouraging overeating by making foods seem more flavorful than they are.
J.K. Park Staff Reporter junior/1760591906/1613368089
1. Which part of the brain integrates both smell and taste signals?
2. Why might certain scents make foods seem more flavorful?
3. How can smell influence people’s eating habits or cravings?
4. What risk did the researchers warn about in relation to smell and flavor?
1. Have you ever noticed that food smells can make you hungry?
2. What is a scent that reminds you of something sweet or delicious?
3. Do you think smells can really change how something tastes?
4. Have you ever tried a sugar-free drink that still tasted sweet?
Why does a sugar-free drink with a fruity scent still taste sweet? A Swedish study suggests that the brain interprets certain smells as flavors, effectively blurring the line between taste and odor.
