"Beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy." That quote, wrongly attributed to Benjamin Franklin, could still be true, but not for the reason most of us would think. Scientific research suggests that it is the flavor, not the presence of alcohol, that makes drinkers happy.
flavor
Thanks to the efforts of plant scientists, we may see a return to tomatoes that ...actually taste like tomatoes. An international collaborative effort has identified both the chemicals that provide the flavor and the genes that control them. But because of anti-GMO scare-mongering, we will have to wait longer than necessary.
Brown marmorated stink bugs are fond of fruit such as grapes. During winemaking, the critters become stressed (being squashed tends to do that), and the stink bugs live up to their name by producing a compound.
For various reasons, fruits and vegetables grown out-of-season don't taste as good as the in-season variety. And some foodies turn their nose up at greenhouse-raised tomatoes. But a team of researchers from Purdue University wanted to determine if it was possible to enhance their flavor.
The presence of a molecule that strongly enhances the flavor of other molecules may explain why garlic powder is such a commonly used ingredient in cooked foods.