Chapter 1 - The impact of molecular gastronomy within the food science community

Abstract

Molecular gastronomy is a novel discipline within the food science area. Its main difference with the traditional food science and technology studies is its focus on kitchen restaurant and home kitchen levels. The collaboration among food scientists (food chemists, food engineers, sensory scientists, etc.) and innovative chefs led to the implementation of a new approach to cooking, often referred to as “science-based cooking” or “molecular cooking.” This implies implementing new techniques, tools, or ingredients borrowed from scientific laboratories. In parallel, a closer look at the kitchen led scientists to investigate phenomena or methods that are often ignored by food scientists. The difference between molecular gastronomy and conventional food science has been discussed in this chapter, with some examples related to studies on olive oil, sous-vide cooking, the use of liquid nitrogen and ultrasound treatment, as well as the technique called “spherification.” The importance of food pairing in haute-cuisine restaurants and for researchers in the area of sensory science has been highlighted, with the presentation of the theoretical/computational approach based on the so-called flavor network and reporting some results based on empirical laboratory-based studies. The negative outcome of these investigations proves the difficulties of simplifying such a complex system, in which odor, taste-active compounds, texture, and other factors interact, and additional complexity is added by cooking itself. Also, the final consumers’ experience depends on other factors such as the dish presentation and their general expectations.