Physical chemistry of flavour

The sensation of flavour occurs when certain flavour‐active molecules are released from food and are transported to stimulate sensors in the mouth and nose. The human brain integrates all the signals from the sensors and produces an overall flavour perception. The way in which flavour molecules are released from food during eating, and the manner in which they are retained during processing and storage, are all governed by various aspects of physical chemistry. This review describes some of the basic principles of partition, a key parameter in the physical chemistry of flavour. An overview of the theory and measurement of partition is given, along with some applications to model and real food systems.