Chemesthesis: Chemical Touch in Food and Eating

Chemesthesis are the chemically initiated sensations that occur via the touch system. Examples in the mouth include the burn of capsaicinoids in chilies, the cooling of menthol in peppermint, and the tingle of carbonation. It is physiologically distinct from taste and smell, but is increasingly understood to be just as important as these senses for their contribution to flavor, especially with the sustained growth in interest in spicy foods from around the world.

Chemesthesis: Chemical Touc...