Brain scans reveal where taste and smell become flavor

Research shows the brain’s insula plays a key role in how we perceive flavor

A man biting into a peace slice

Mangoes and peaches both taste mostly sour, but their aroma helps differentiate their flavor. New research pinpoints a brain region that blends smell and taste into the sensation of flavor.

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Taste and smell are so intimately connected that a whiff of well-loved foods evokes their taste without any conscious effort.