Making Science Palatable with Molecular Gastronomy

Biophysics of Molecular Gastronomy

Chefs and scientists exploring biophysical processes have given rise to molecular gastronomy. In this Commentary, we describe how a scientific understanding of recipes and techniques facilitates the development of new textures and expands the flavor palette. The new dishes that result engage our senses in unexpected ways. PAPERCLIP.

Molecular Gastronomy: Transforming Diets for Dysphagia

Dysphagia, is a word meaning disordered eating [1] and the medical term for swallowing difficulty as a result of either a mechanical obstruction or dysmotility [2]. Swallowing is a physiological process and entails the following steps: Food and liquid are transported from the oral cavity-mouth, into the stomach requiring up to 40 pairs of muscles and 8 nerves. The tongue and saliva work togethe...

Molecular Gastronomy: A New Emerging Scientific Discipline

Discovering novel ingredient pairings in molecular gastronomy using network analysis

Molecular gastronomy is a distinct sub-discipline of food science that takes an active role in examining chemical and physical properties of ingredients and as such lends itself to more scientific approaches to finding novel ingredient pairings. With thousands of ingredients and molecules, which participate in the creation of each ingredient’s flavour, it can be difficult to find compatible fla...

Doing science making art

It is a challenge to balance doing both science and art, but I attempt both because each provides unique insight into perception and cognition, often to mutual benefit. The techniques I use in visual neuroscience (psychophysics, fMRI, microelectrode recording) are different from those I use in visual art (etching, watercolor and oil paint, glass and silk), but the process is always empirical, t...