University Chemistry ›› 2026, Vol. 41 ›› Issue (8): 220-226.doi: 10.12461/PKU.DXHX202506109

• Science Education • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Tracing flavors: an exploration of flavor compounds in selected foods

Shiyu Wang, Tianyang Yu, Hao Wei   

  1. National Chemistry Experimental Teaching Demonstration Center, College of Chemistry and Materials Science, Northwest University, Xi'an 710127, Shaanxi Province, China
  • Received:2025-06-27 Accepted:2025-08-29 Published:2026-08-25
  • Contact: Tianyang Yu, Hao Wei E-mail:yuty@nwu.edu.cn;haow@nwu.edu.cn

Abstract: Sweet, sour, bitter, and spicy tastes are integral to our daily culinary experiences. This article adopts a personified narrative style to examine the organic flavor compounds present in various representative foods. It discusses their physicochemical properties and applications in fields such as food science and medicine. The primary objective is to enhance readers' understanding of the chemical basis of food flavors and to foster an appreciation for chemistry by presenting relevant, everyday scientific concepts.

Key words: Flavor compounds, Organic compounds, Popularization of science