Flavour, often synonymous with pleasure, is perhaps the most enticing component of food and beverage consumption. Yet, despite a general understanding of what flavour entails, the intricacy of how the different sensory components integrate to form this harmonious percept is relatively poorly understood. Moreover, there is a considerable lack of knowledge on external and internal factors governing flavour perception, and potential consequences on feeding behaviour. Traditionally, flavour research has focussed on individual contributions of the involved sensory modalities. However, from an ecological standpoint, flavour arises from a synergy of many, rather than a single sensory input. Understanding flavour perception requires research on the neglected aspect of multisensory integration to take centre stage.
We have invited four speakers covering various aspects of multisensory integration in different model systems (rodent, human, patients), using different methods and techniques (neurophysiology, chemogenetics, optogenetics, sensory epidemiology, perceptual, behavioural and clinical studies), and addressing the different chemosensory modalities (smell, taste, thermosensation). The final speaker will place flavour into a broader perspective, by discussing its influence on dietary energy intake.