How do chemists identify the molecules that give foods their flavor?

Food flavorist at work (Image obtained from webindia123)

Did you know that our sense of taste and smell being related actually helps us interpret the chemical world? Though they are separate senses with their own receptor organs, they are intimately entwined.

Chemicals in foods are detected by our taste buds which consist of special sensory cells. When these cells are simulated, they send signals to specific areas of the brain, and this makes us conscious of the perception of taste. Likewise, specialized cells in the nose pick up airborne odor molecules called odorants. They stimulate receptor proteins found on hairlike cilia at the tips of the sensory cells, a process that initiates a neural response. Ultimately, messages about taste and smell converge, allowing us to detect the flavors of food.

So...does this mean that this is how flavor chemists identify the molecules that give foods their flavor, and in turn, create new products such as those vegan-friendly "bacon-flavored" crisps, or even modifying their current suite of products by adding a light touch of a different flavor, for example, a raspberry flavored yoghurt instead of the usual strawberry?

Click here to find out how these chemists use creative skills alongside their chemical knowledge in the process!

If the above article has successfully triggered the flavor chemist in you, here is another link for you to read more on the topic. If you prefer to watch a video, you may look here instead.