Specifically, Dr. Raman and his team have achievedmanipulate flavor enzymes in a plant,Arabidopsis thaliana, widely used by scientists for its relative genetic simplicity. These molecules are common to other plants and producejasmonato, the main odorous substance of jasmine, andgreen leaf volatiles or GLV, which provide the aromas of different fruits and vegetables.
In addition to delighting our palates, both substances are emitted by plants to keep predators away. “If we genetically modify the production of green leaf volatiles we canchange the taste of food to our liking, but alsocontrol pestsaffecting agricultural products “, explains today Raman in the magazineNature.
According to the researcher, in his studieseach flavor has a unique and different chemical profile. The incredible thing is that they have now shown that “it is possible to transform any enzyme into a different one”, in the words of the researcher. And in many cases, it is enough to change a single amino acid.
Raman and his team are now preparing to study how thetaste of products of marine origin.
