Food technology

Using an artificial tongue, researchers figured out just why chocolate feels so good in our mouths. They say it all comes down to when the fat is released, which could lead to a healthier chocolate bar that still delivers all the joy.

Some people feel that their food isn't quite tasty enough unless it had added salt, sugar or MSG. The SpoonTEK spoon offers a healthier alternative, as it reportedly boosts the perceived flavor of foods by harmlessly zapping its user's tastebuds.

It's always a shame when you buy fresh produce, only to have it spoil in the fridge before you can use it. The Aurora system is designed to keep that from happening, using a combination of ultraviolet light and vacuum packing.

A new technique could help fortify everyday foods to tackle deficiencies. Scientists at MIT added vitamin A encased in polymer capsules to ingredients like flour and found that it survived storage and cooking to deliver the nutrient in useful amounts.

Israeli cultured meat outfit Believer Meats, known formerly as Future Meat, is looking to play a pivotal role in the availability of lab-grown meat products, and a new facility under construction in the US should help these efforts along.

While it would be great if there were a simple method of eradicating all the harmful bacteria present on food, dousing that food in antibiotics certainly wouldn't be the way to go. A new spray, however, uses food-safe viruses that kill such bacteria.

RMIT researchers claim FiberX can add up to 20% more healthy dietary fiber to food, without any detectable change to its color, texture or taste. Best of all, the team says it can be made from starches that would otherwise be agricultural waste.

Although plain popcorn is a relatively healthy snack, it's still not one that most people would think of as being very nutritious. That could change, however, as a new variety reportedly offers nearly twice the normal levels of an important nutrient.

With demand for vegetable oil only expected to increase, a team of scientists in Singapore has demonstrated a way of increasing the yield of oil from plants through genetic engineering, which could increase the output by as much as 18%.

There’s nothing like whipped cream to top off a dessert, but its high fat content comes with a side order of guilt. Now, researchers have found that saturated fat can be substituted with bacteria, to make whipped cream at two common consistencies.

Scientists have developed a new method of providing information on 3D-printed foods, by printing a QR code within the food itself. Doing so doesn't affect the taste or outward appearance of the food, nor does it require the use of any labels.

Just because a food item may be frozen when you buy it, that doesn't mean it wasn't thawed and refrozen somewhere along the line. A new self-powered sensor, however, would change color to let you know if that had happened.