October 19–25 is National Chemistry Week, a nationwide campaign highlighting the importance of chemistry in everyday life. Foods for Health spoke with Dr. Edisson Tello, Associate Director of the Flavor Research and Education Center at Ohio State, an academic-industry consortium that tackles key challenges in the food flavor industry.
1. What first sparked your interest in chemistry, and how did it lead you to focus on natural products and flavors?
My fascination for chemistry began early, driven by curiosity about how invisible molecular interactions create tangible effects, from the color of plants to the scent of fruits. During my graduate studies, this curiosity evolved into a passion for natural products and their immense potential applications in food and health. Exploring marine organisms and plants revealed nature’s unmatched chemical diversity and precision. Over time, I realized that the same tools used in drug discovery could also decode the chemistry behind flavor. This convergence of natural products and flavor perception became my scientific focus: understanding how molecules shape what we taste, smell, and ultimately enjoy.
2. National Chemistry Week celebrates chemistry in everyday life. How do you see chemistry shaping the flavors we experience in food?
Chemistry is the invisible artist behind every flavor we experience. Each aroma or taste arises from a unique interplay of volatile and nonvolatile molecules that activate our sensory receptors. Through advanced techniques such as GC/MS, GC/O, LC/MS, and NMR, we can map the molecular signatures defining the flavor of foods, from fruits and spices to complex matrices like coffee and cheese. At the Flavor Research and Education Center, we study how these compounds shape flavor perception and consumer preference by integrating targeted and untargeted metabolomics. Ultimately, chemistry doesn’t just explain flavor; it allows us to design better ones, creating foods that are not only delicious but also healthy, nutritious, and sustainable.
3. Many flavor compounds also influence human health. Can you share an example of how chemistry helps us understand that connection?
Chemistry reveals how flavor-active compounds can also promote health and well-being. For instance, Maillard reaction products that create the roasted notes in coffee, cocoa, or bread often exhibit antioxidant properties, helping protect cells from oxidative stress. Likewise, polyphenols and flavonoids in berries, tea, and chocolate contribute bitterness and astringency while modulating inflammatory and metabolic pathways. Through advanced analytical tools and metabolomics, we can trace these compounds as they are absorbed, metabolized, and transformed in the body. This molecular understanding connects flavor chemistry to nutrition and pharmacology, guiding the design of foods that are not only sensory appealing but also functionally beneficial for human health.
4. What are some of the challenges chemists face when working with natural products for food applications?
Working with natural products in food research is both rewarding and challenging. Nature’s complexity means that many bioactive and flavor compounds exist at trace levels, requiring highly sensitive analytical and purification methods for their isolation and structural elucidation. Their stability can also be affected by temperature, pH, and processing conditions, requiring innovative methods for preservation and delivery. Another challenge is translating laboratory findings into scalable, safe, and regulatory-compliant applications for the food industry. At the same time, sustainability and supply consistency must be considered when sourcing natural ingredients. Addressing these challenges demands an integrated approach that combines chemistry, process engineering, and sensory science to fully harness nature’s molecular richness for food innovation.
5. What advice would you give to students or young scientists who want to use chemistry to improve food and health?
Stay curious and interdisciplinary. Chemistry lies at the core of both food and health, but true innovation emerges when it intersects with multiple disciplines. Learn to see molecules not just as structures but as agents of taste, aroma, and health. Develop strong analytical skills, techniques like GC/MS, LC/MS, NMR, and metabolomics are powerful tools for bioactive compound discovery. Most importantly, embrace collaboration with industry and academia; these partnerships turn ideas into real-world solutions. And remember, let your science serve a greater purpose: to create foods that are more enjoyable, healthy, and sustainable. Chemistry gives you the tools to turn curiosity into impact.
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