ABSTRACT
Attending scientific lectures in food science and technology or reading scientific and technological articles reveals contradictions between scientists, sometimes using different words for the same object and even changing words in their own talks or articles; such contradictions can even be observed within the same research institution or within the same team. In French, food generates a perception called “gout”, which is the result of many stimuli plus some brain processing. When flavours reminiscent of other food or non-food items are distinguished during consumption, the word “flavours” would be more appropriate than aromas, because indeed, what is recognized is the synthetic perception, and not only an odour. Regarding flavour, part of the difficulty lies in the fact that the sensory scientific community is not the same as the chemist’s one.
