I recently read an interesting article in Scientific American in which a San Diego based company called Senomyx, lead by U.C.S.D. biology professor Charles Zuker, is developing “flavor modifiers” that can actually trick the taste buds. These molecules have been developed to enhance sweet and block bitter flavors in foods, without adding any caloric value.

It all began when Charles Zuker dispelled the myth that the tongue was separated into 5 regions, each responsible for sensing a distinct taste. Zuker isolated individual taste cells from mice and compared their gene expression profiles. He identified coding sequences for 2 new proteins, T1R1 and T1R2. In coordination with a third protein, T1R3, these proteins act as subunits of taste receptors that sense sweet and savory flavors on the tongue.

In order to develop these compounds, Zuker created arrays with individual taste receptors and carried out high-throughput screening on thousands of compounds. As a result, Senomyx now boasts a library of about 500,000 compounds, which far outweighs the libraries of its competitors.

It will be interesting to watch the development of these compounds and their introduction into various foods. Companies such as Coca-Cola and Nestlé are already jumping into bed with Senomyx, though certain compounds are still subject to the loose testing standards that the FDA requires for additives. Frankly, I think this is going to be big.