The Science of Volatile Aroma

Your nose can detect many aromas from a wide variety of flavorful molecules in food. Those aromas signal something wonderful to eat, or not.

Volatile molecules evaporate from the food, travel through the air, then enter your nose or mouth. These molecules are very small and light to travel easily. These volatile molecules are accentuated with heat. Cold food typically has less aroma than hot food. For example, the smell of fresh green beans is less than cooked green beans.

It also depends on the type of molecules in the food that produce distinct aromas. Diacetyl smells like butter. Acetic acid is in vinegar. Some molecules are odorless such as citric acid.

Source: Cook’s Illustrated