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Gordon M. Shepherd

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Neurogastronomy: How the Brain Creates Flavor and Why It Matters Kindle Edition

by Gordon M. Shepherd (Author) Format: Kindle Edition

4.6 183 ratings

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“A personal yet magisterial account of the new brain-based approach to flavor perception . . . [a] panoramic view of science, culture, and behavior.”—Avery Gilbert, author of What the Nose Knows

Leading neuroscientist Gordon M. Shepherd embarks on a paradigm-shifting trip through the “human brain flavor system,” laying the foundations for a new scientific field: neurogastronomy. Challenging the belief that the sense of smell diminished during human evolution, Shepherd argues that this sense, which constitutes the main component of flavor, is far more powerful and essential than previously believed.

Shepherd begins Neurogastronomy with the mechanics of smell, particularly the way it stimulates the nose from the back of the mouth. As we eat, the brain conceptualizes smells as spatial patterns, and from these and the other senses it constructs the perception of flavor. Shepherd then considers the impact of the flavor system on contemporary social, behavioral, and medical issues. He analyzes flavor’s engagement with the brain regions that control emotion, food preferences, and cravings, and he even devotes a section to food’s role in drug addiction and, building on Marcel Proust’s iconic tale of the madeleine, its ability to evoke deep memories.

Shepherd connects his research to trends in nutrition, dieting, and obesity, especially the challenges that many face in eating healthily. He concludes with human perceptions of smell and flavor and their relationship to the neural basis of consciousness. Everyone from casual diners and ardent foodies to wine critics, chefs, scholars, and researchers will delight in Shepherd’s fascinating, scientific-gastronomic adventures.

“Those who make the effort will be rewarded: they’ll never look at eating the same way again.”—Library Journal

Editorial Reviews

Review

Although written for lay readers, this excellent summary of everything people currently know about flavor perception must be considered the latest and most valuable review of research on the chemical senses. ― Choice

Neurogastronomy is a personal yet magisterial account of the new brain-based approach to flavor perception. Gordon M. Shepherd's panoramic view of science, culture, and behavior is that of a true pioneer of the chemical senses. -- Avery Gilbert, Author of What the Nose Knows: The Science of Scent in Everyday Life

A work that has the potential for breaking new ground and developing a whole new direction of study. ― Yum.fi

Those who make the effort will be rewarded: they'll never look at eating the same way again. ― Library Journal

Shepherd makes an excellent case for neurogastronomy as an important cross-disciplinary field that is likely to motivate a variety of imperatives for our health and well-being. -- Chris Loss ― Nature

Stimulating and informing. -- Israel Rosenfeld and Edward B. Ziff ― New York Review of Books

Cooking? It is first love, then art, then technique. Chefs and food lovers alike can benefit from a better appreciation of the phenomena at play throughout the culinary process, from the field to the fork and beyond. This is why flavor is so important, and why Gordon M. Shepherd's well-named Neurogastronomy is such a welcome addition to the literature. -- Hervé This, author of Molecular Gastronomy: Exploring the Science of Flavor

About the Author

Gordon M. Shepherd is professor of neurobiology at the Yale School of Medicine and former editor in chief of the Journal of Neuroscience. He has made fundamental contributions to the study of brain microcircuits, as summarized in his highly regarded edited reference work The Synaptic Organization of the Brain. His current research focuses on olfaction at the level of microcircuits and how they construct the spatial patterns of smell, which are essential to the perception of flavor.

Product details

ASIN ‏ : ‎ B006BAJBUS
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Columbia University Press (December 2, 2011)
Publication date ‏ : ‎ December 2, 2011
Language ‏ : ‎ English
File size ‏ : ‎ 2551 KB
Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
Print length ‏ : ‎ 286 pages

Best Sellers Rank: #342,615 in Kindle Store (See Top 100 in Kindle Store)
- #29 in Food Science (Kindle Store)
- #95 in Physiological Aspects in Psychology (Books)
- #132 in Gastronomy Essays (Kindle Store)

Customer Reviews:
4.6 183 ratings

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4.6 out of 5

183 global ratings

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remo26

I found this book so fascinating and enlightening

Reviewed in the United States on October 28, 2022

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First of all, I should say that I am a chemist. However, my interest in the book was driven mainly by my lifelong passion for understanding how the sense of smell works. The book is not too technical for a layreader if your interested in the topic. It is filled with wonderful anecdotal stories from historical sources that link the technical concepts to simple understandings.

6 people found this helpful

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Nicholas C. Phelan

Great book

Reviewed in the United States on April 16, 2020

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Lots of information in here. I bought it for a sensory purpose and it has surpassed my needs. I will continue reading it and might need a re read because some of the stuff i was skipping to get to things i was after. Great book.

2 people found this helpful

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REC Anon

Excellent summary of current knowledge - but dense read

Reviewed in the United States on March 25, 2013

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I'm a molecular gastronomy geared chef and read this book to get new insights into ways to manipulate my diners' experiences. I was not disappointed. Shepherd does an excellent job of walking you through each step and train of thought that ultimately gets us to flavor, and yes, it is repetitive as Shepherd writes as I can only assume he teaches classes (start off with a summary, give new material, end with summary), but that repetition was useful for me as a practitioner trying to chew my way through very dense matter. Even some of the most basic knowledge has changed the way I now cook - for example, I questioned the role of oil based flavors v. water based flavors in extending flavor in my customers as they exhale after each bite.

It is not a light read, and certainly not a read for someone with just a passing interest, but for people who want a deep understanding of the interaction between brain, body and food, this certainly will satiate your thirst for the subject.

17 people found this helpful

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AntDina

Neuroscience meets Foodie

Reviewed in the United States on September 13, 2014

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Very scientific. Very thorough. Might be a bit too nerdy for most people. Definitely written for the neuroscience freak who likes food. For people that curious to know why things work. What is a flavor image. It won't prepare you to cook any differently. It won't help you to win any culinary awards. What it will do, is provide a solid appreciation for the profound miracle that occurs when the perfect bite hits your tongue.

9 people found this helpful

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M. Hastings

Fascinating technical book

Reviewed in the United States on January 27, 2013

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This book explores our relationship with food in a different way than most. It takes a very scientific look at how our body processes things like scent from a detailed clinical perspective. While it is likely more technical than the average reader might be looking for, it is a terrific read and I'd recommend it to anyone looking for a deeper understanding if humans and our relationship with food.

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Jose Paulo Schiffini

Keep in control of what your brain wants to eat....

Reviewed in the United States on December 3, 2012

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Your brain grows with you.
Your brain starts eating in your mother's belly...
Your brain eating needs develop with your age....
So, make your mind take control of what you eat, forbiding vain wishes of your brain...
That's all folks !
Learn how to do it by reading this book!

Schiffini

2 people found this helpful

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Professor Diabolicus

Technical read

Reviewed in the United States on July 10, 2013

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This has been a slow read for me. I search for textbook-style resources. This is exactly that. I have to find the time to dedicate to diggin in the information. I expect to learn a lot from this book.

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EwokianQueen Parents

Excellent but needs company!

Reviewed in the United States on September 29, 2016

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This is a pretty interesting look at how your brain perceives and remembers flavor, a deeper understand of how flavor works and how to achieve certain feelings and flavors. I recommend this book to anybody in the food industry looking to understand the science of flavor a bit further to develop their craft. Definitely not a stand alone book but a good way to start!

3 people found this helpful

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JoaoRoberto

Inter-relacionamento instintivo dos Sentidos.

Reviewed in Brazil on December 2, 2020

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Extremamente interessante e esclarecedor. Explicita o envolvimento dos três sentidos para a construção do Prazer Sensorial do SABOR.
O Aroma captado pelo Olfato, somado ao Gosto captado pelo Paladar e validado pela Textura captada pelo Tato, que então juntos explodem na SATISFAÇÃO PLENA DOS SENTIDOS.

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Sara Galli

Cool

Reviewed in Canada on July 9, 2020

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Very helpful and interesting.