How does the nose sense the scent of coffee?

– TASTE THE ORIGIN –

Every time you brew at home or sit in any coffee shop, you can smell a unique scent in the air. You can clearly associate and recognize that the scent you just smell is coffee and distinguish it very clearly from other flavors. So how does the nose sense the scent of coffee? Find out with 43 Factory Coffee Roaster!

The taste of coffee perceived by the nose is processed in the brain

According to research recently published in the journal Nature, the nose has receptors (proteins) that detect molecules and process information from scents. When the nose comes into contact with scents in the air, olfactory proteins will receive and analyze them. Another study shows that scents are received and processed in the brain. Specifically, the piriform cortex – the part that covers both the left and right sides of the brain.

In particular, information about odor appears on both sides of the nose separately over time. The first side corresponds to the same side as the receptive odor and the second side corresponds to the contralateral odor representations. Following monitoring, the study found that the piriform cortex maintains separate representations of odor input from each nostril through temporal segmentation. It highlights an olfactory coding scheme at the cortical level that can analyze odor information through the nostrils during a single inhalation.

The nose can determine the source of a smell

The sequence of smells enters the nose quite quickly. Almost all of us will not be able to know exactly where the smell comes from and from which nostril it is received. However, some scientists say you can identify and distinguish flavor sources by synthesizing and encoding the odor information received by the nose.

In a study published in the journal Science direct in early November 2023, it was discovered that rodents can distinguish the source of odor through the difference in odor concentration between the two nostrils. This may mean that the human olfactory system has the ability to integrate and separate information of odors arising from each side of the nasal cavity. Through that, the nose can feel the taste of coffee and distinguish it based on available perceptions and the concentration and distance of the scent. However, there is currently little research on how information from the two nostrils is integrated and differentiated in the human olfactory system. Therefore, we cannot know exactly how to operate and code in detail.

Through receptor cells, the processing ability of the brain and nose can help us feel and recognize the smells around us. But to accurately identify the flavor layers inside the coffee cup as accurately as experts, you need to have enough experience. If you want to conquer your nose’s sensitivity and flavors, visit XLIII Coffee to experience and enjoy specialty coffee beans.

Don’t forget to follow 43 Factory Coffee Roaster’s news channel to discover useful information about the coffee world!

Related articles:

– Purpurascens coffee – The price comes from the pink color

– Does age affect flavor assessment in coffee cupping?

– Dissecting the true meaning of single origin and blend coffee