Have you ever noticed how food tastes bland when you have a blocked nose? That’s because taste and smell are deeply interconnected. Our tongue may detect the basic tastes, sweet, salty, sour, bitter, and umami but our nose adds the complexity that turns these sensations into rich, enjoyable flavours. The way our brain combines these inputs forms one of the most intriguing sensory experiences known to science. Yet, while most of us take our ability to taste and smell for granted, researchers are only beginning to understand how these two senses work together to influence appetite , satisfaction, and even our emotions.













How your brain blends taste and smell







Taste is often believed to come entirely from our tongue. However, as Putu Agus Khorisantono explained in , the true experience of flavour emerges when our sense of smell joins the process. When we eat, two events occur simultaneously. Taste buds on the tongue respond to chemical compounds in the food, while odours travel from the mouth to the back of the nose, a process called retronasal smelling. The brain merges both signals to produce what we call flavour.





What’s fascinating is that smell can actually trigger similar brain responses to taste. When researchers tested participants with drinks that contained only odour but no actual flavour, their brains still showed responses in the same areas as when they consumed food. This means that the brain can “taste” smells, proving just how powerfully intertwined these two senses are.







What happens in your brain when you taste or smell





A provided deeper insight into why smell can evoke taste. The researchers found that when people experienced sweet or savoury odours, the same brain region responsible for processing taste, the insula became active. Using functional MRI scans, scientists observed that both sweet and savoury aromas triggered patterns of brain activity in the insula similar to those caused by actual taste stimuli.





In simpler terms, when you smell something like chocolate or coffee, your brain may react as though you’ve already tasted it. The study identified the ventral anterior insula as a key site for this overlap, suggesting it acts as a central “flavour hub” in the brain. Interestingly, this brain area also handles signals related to hunger and thirst, indicating that smell could help the body decide whether a particular food meets its nutritional needs.





The findings also revealed that repeated exposure to a smell without tasting it eventually weakens the connection, explaining why familiar aromas might lose their appeal over time. This intricate interplay between brain areas demonstrates how closely smell and taste work together to shape our eating experiences and food preferences.













Flavour: How the brain links smell, taste, and hunger







The discovery of overlapping responses between taste and smell in the insula challenges the long-held idea that the brain processes each sense separately. The study also revealed that the piriform cortex, which handles odour recognition, works alongside the insula through a network of neural connections. The anterior piriform cortex encodes the structure of an odour, while the posterior region identifies what it is. This cooperation between brain areas allows odours to acquire “taste-like” properties, explaining why certain smells can make our mouths water even before we eat.





Moreover, research on rodents supports this theory, showing that food smells can activate neurons that drive hunger and that this activation stops once food is consumed. This means the sense of smell may influence how much we eat, when we feel full, and what kinds of food we crave. These findings could have major implications for managing appetite and promoting healthier eating habits.

The evolving understanding of flavour perception has also inspired new directions in food science. For instance, aromas could be used to enhance flavour in foods that contain less sugar, salt, or fat, making them healthier without compromising taste. It also opens up possibilities for developing food products tailored to people with reduced senses of smell or taste, such as those recovering from illness or ageing.











What the future holds for taste and smell science





Despite these advancements, scientists admit there is still much to uncover about how taste and smell interact. Khorisantono’s team is now exploring orthonasal smelling—how we perceive odours through the nose when we sniff something before eating. This type of smell helps trigger appetite and food anticipation. If future research finds that orthonasal smells activate the same brain regions as taste, it could change how we approach flavour design, appetite regulation, and even weight management.





Understanding how smell and taste combine could one day allow scientists to use scents to reduce food cravings or encourage healthier eating habits. For example, certain odours might be used to trick the brain into perceiving sweetness without added sugar. Similarly, tailored aromas could help people with smell loss (anosmia) rediscover pleasure in eating.











Ultimately, the science of flavour shows how complex our everyday experiences really are. What feels like a simple act of eating is, in fact, a sophisticated dance between multiple senses and brain regions. As researchers continue to uncover how the brain merges taste and smell, we may soon see innovations that transform not just how we eat, but how we enjoy food.






























Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and should not be considered medical advice. Please consult a healthcare professional before making any changes to your diet, medication, or lifestyle.












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