Create a free Perfumer & Flavorist account to continue reading

BRAIN AG Has Breakthrough in Understanding Taste Modulation

Apr 27th, 2012
Layla Schlack

In its research to develop novel taste modulators and nutraceuticals from natural sources, German biotechnology firm BRAIN AG has had a technological breakthrough that allows researchers to established immortalized taste cell lines. These lines are derived from taste papillae and give researchers new understanding of how taste cells respond to flavor molecules.

While this breakthrough will help the company with its original goal, it also has much further-reaching applications.

"This technological breakthrough is an important milestone within our corporate strategy to enlarge the BRAIN Technology Platform," says CEO Holger Zinke. "Obviously, we will use our first-mover-advantage in this important business segment and we will share the technological leadership with our strategic collaboration partners or provide the technology on a license basis. This groundbreaking ScreenLine technology is covered by international patent applications."

More in Regulatory & Research
'[R]etaining this next generation will depend on continuing to position flavor science as a field where individuals can combine scientific excellence with creativity and real-world impact, shaping how consumers experience food in ways that improve both health and sustainability,' says John Savage, IOFI president and president and CEO of Taste at Kerry.
Leading Through Change: Kerry's John Savage on IOFI, the Future of Flavor and More
"The industry must continue pushing for international coherence, but also remain operationally agile in the face of divergence."
Jul 24th, 2026
For decades, the flavor and fragrance industry has operated within a relatively stable classification system. Ingredients were broadly categorized as natural extracts, fermentation-derived materials or synthetically produced molecules. These distinctions were largely sufficient when production routes were clearly separated and molecular identity aligned closely with manufacturing method. However, these boundaries are becoming increasingly difficult to define.
When the Molecule Is the Same, but the Label Isn't: How 'Natural' Keeps Its Edge
How maturing biocatalytic production routes are reshaping long-standing distinctions between “synthetic” and “natural” aroma ingredients in the flavor and fragrance industry.
Jul 13th, 2026
A €5,000 Best Ph.D. Thesis Award will also recognize an outstanding final-year doctoral researcher. The winner will present their work at the annual Savory Flavor & Food Industry Conference in Geneva, Switzerland, connecting with potential employers and industry leaders.
Flavor’s Next Generation: Giract Opens 17th Annual European Ph.D. Flavor Research Awards
The 2026/2027 edition will award six €3,000 bursaries to first-year Ph.D. students conducting research in flavor science, technology, chemistry and related fields.
Jul 9th, 2026
FEMA# 5044 sakura flower extract (Prunus serrulata flower extract; Cerasus serrulata flower extract) is among the materials included in FEMA's Interim GRAS 32 list.
Catching Up: FEMA's Interim GRAS 32 and Interim GRAS 33 Flavoring Substance Lists
The FEMA GRAS program serves as an important scientific resource for flavor manufacturers, food companies and regulators by providing independent expert evaluations of flavoring substances based on publicly available safety data.
Jul 1st, 2026
The system demonstrates how generative modeling can reconstruct complex, multi-ingredient taste signatures, including fast-food–style flavor profiles such as a Big Mac–like sensory signature, where layered notes from fat, salt, umami, acid, and aroma compounds are algorithmically approximated rather than manually reverse-engineered.
AI Flavor Platform Maps Taste Science ... and Recreates a Big Mac
AI can now operate at two levels simultaneously: decoding the sensory architecture of flavor and optimizing it toward higher predicted consumer “liking."
Jun 26th, 2026
'Aroma: Perception resulting from stimulating the olfactory receptors; in a broader sense, the term is sometimes used to refer to the combination of sensations resulting from stimulation of the entire nasal cavity.'
From "Absolute" to "X-Free Essential Oil": IOFI Launches Global Flavor Glossary to Bring Consistency to an Increasingly Complex Industry
Inconsistent terminology can create friction in product development, regulatory compliance, customer communication and advocacy efforts.
Jun 18th, 2026
Research suggests that odors below the threshold of conscious detection can still shape perception, influence behavior and alter emotional responses.
The Invisible Influence: Why Subthreshold Odors Deserve More Attention
Seemingly innocuous components can elevate a product, but they have the potential to tarnish it too.
Jun 9th, 2026
Using an advanced all-optical imaging and optogenetics platform in awake mice, researchers found that the olfactory bulb rapidly filters incoming odor information within the first 30–40 milliseconds of a sniff, preserving odor identity while suppressing later, more concentration-dependent signals.
New Mouse Study Reveals the Brain’s 'Temporal Filter' for Odor Identity and Why Concentration May Matter Less Than Timing
Odor perception may be governed less by static receptor maps and more by dynamic temporal coding across neural networks.
May 22nd, 2026
Complete with a Ferris wheel at the center of the table, Austria Juice showcased a variety of natural fruit flavors, including yuzu, black currant, pineapple, strawberry and sour cherry.
FlavourTalk 2026 Brings Joy and Curiosity to Consumer Flavor Perception Conversation
This year’s exhibition and conference focused on the underlying neuroscience of flavor and how product developers can leverage this research.
May 15th, 2026
A central concern is the estimated cost of more than £500 million associated with generating and submitting U.K.-specific data packages for substances already registered under EU REACH.
UK Chemicals Industry Warns REACH Divergence Still Threatens Trade, Innovation and SME Viability
A central concern is the estimated cost of more than £500 million associated with generating and submitting U.K.-specific data packages for substances already registered under EU REACH.
May 11th, 2026
FDA officials framed the authorization as a possible new pathway for flavored nicotine products seeking market legitimacy. (Glas products not pictured.)
FDA Opens Door to Flavor Innovation With First Non-Tobacco ENDS Authorizations
FDA officials framed the authorization as a possible new pathway for flavored nicotine products seeking market legitimacy.
May 8th, 2026