Sanne Boesveldt, Ph.D.

Monell Chemical Senses Center

Sensory loss is a hallmark of the aging process. We are all familiar with changes in vision and hearing with age, but our experience with flavor changes as well. Flavor is a complex percept with taste and smell as its two major components. There are some declines in taste sensitivity with age, but by far, the largest declines are in olfaction (the sense of smell). The olfactory component of flavor is arguably the most informative. It allows us to experience the difference between peach and mango, or beef and lamb. Oral irritation (e.g. the burn of chili pepper or the tingle from carbonation) is another component of flavor and does not decline very much with maturity. So, recipes for aging populations should be modified to increase the aromatic components of flavor without changing the hotness. Good news is on the horizon, however. It may be the case that using your sense of smell can help to maintain it.