Flavor, defined by scientists as the interaction betweenaroma and taste, is chemically complex.
Breeding for flavor is adifficult taskfor many different reasons.
Plant breeders must also evaluate hundreds to thousands of potential varieties.
We created a database containing all known compounds associated with flavor in all varieties of these fruits.
Volatile organic compounds are a big part of what consumer panels use to rate flavor in tomatoes and blueberries.
Image: Vincent Colantonio and Luis Felipe Ferrao
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Why it matters
Flavor plays animportant rolein which varieties of fruit people choose to eat.
Optimizing for flavor using AI could help cut down the cost of traditional plant breeding with consumer panels.
Breeding fruit varieties for specific markets might require additional testing of our flavor database.
We conduct highly interdisciplinary research with psychologists, food scientists, geneticists, biochemists, and plant breeders.
In our research, we start by identifying what chemicals in a fruit are responsible for flavor preferences.
Finally, we use molecular breeding to produce flavorful varieties that consumers can fully appreciate.
