Scientists know that an essential component of our perception of flavor is the aroma released from the foods that we eat. Although you may never have taken a chemistry class, you might know that those aromas consist of a long list of volatile compounds that is reminiscent of an organic chemistry textbook…including aldehydes, alcohols, esters, ketones, quinones, terpenes, thiols, sulfides and amines.
The title of a recent press release on a new study sounds ominously important: “BPA replacements in plastics cause reproductive problems in lab mice.” Reading further, the press release refers to “the array of alternative bisphenols now used to replace BPA,” and the new study states that “[r]eplacement bisphenols have rapidly emerged in consumer products.”
I should have known better but I did it anyway. It was a hot summer afternoon and the thought of a hotdog with plenty of relish and mustard was too good to pass up. Add some chips, a fresh tomato and a large glass of iced tea, and it seemed like a perfect lunch.