Sparkling carbon dioxide, spicy mustard that prickles the nose (allyl isothiocyanate), the heat of chilli * (capsaicin), the scratch of olive oil at the back of the throat (oleocanthal), the cool of mint (menthol), the astringency of tea (tannins), and also the temperature of food – all these sensations derive from the trigeminal nerve, independently of the gustatory and olfactory pathways.
刺激的二氧化碳碳酸、刺鼻的辛辣芥末（异硫氰酸烯丙酯）、辣椒的热量*（辣椒素）、喉咙后部橄榄油的划痕（油麻酚）、薄荷的凉爽（薄荷醇）、茶的涩味（单宁）以及食物的温度——所有这些感觉都来自三叉神经，与味觉和嗅觉途径无关。
Various molecules activate ion channels present in the receptor cells of the peripheral nervous system, particularly those concerned with the detection of temperature, thus sending back a “false” impression of hot or cool.
各种分子激活存在于外周神经系统感受器细胞中的离子通道，特别是与温度检测有关的离子通道，从而给人一种热或冷的"假"印象。
Astringency, perceived while tasting certain red wines, tea (especially if it’s been stewing for a long time in the pot), or even raw artichoke leaf, derives from the ability of tannins to impact saliva proteins **, lowering their lubricating power and provoking a “dry” feeling in the mouth.
在品尝某些红葡萄酒、茶叶(特别是在锅中炖煮时间较长的情况下)，甚至是生的洋蓟叶时，感知到的涩味来源于单宁对唾液蛋白的影响* *，降低其润滑性，并在口腔中引起"干燥"的感觉。
But that’s not all – temperature also muddles our senses. A warm tart tastes sweeter than a cold one. The same goes for melted ice cream, which often seems too sweet. This is due to the fact that, in the central nervous system, the same cell can respond not only to taste stimuli but also to tactile, thermal or olfactory stimuli.
但这并不是全部- -温度也迷惑了我们的感官。温暖的芋头比寒冷的芋头味道更甜。融化的冰淇淋也是如此，往往会更加甜蜜。这是因为在中枢神经系统中，同一细胞不仅可以对味觉刺激做出反应，还可以对触觉、热量或嗅觉刺激做出反应。
Mix in physical sensations linked to texture (the stickiness of coconut rice, the crunchiness of cookies, the chewiness of squid), and you begin to understand the extent and diversity of the signals that flood our brains when we eat!
将与质地相关的食物（椰子米的粘性，饼干的脆性，鱿鱼的嚼劲）混合在一起，你开始了解当我们吃饭时充斥我们大脑的信号的程度和多样性!
* The heat of peppers is measured on the Scoville scale, which rises from 0 for food without any detectable spiciness (like bell peppers) to 16,000,000 for pure capsaicin (the active component of chilli peppers), via 2,000 for Espelette pepper, 40,000 for Cayenne pepper and up to more than 1,200,000 for the aptly named Trinidad Moruga Scorpion, which holds the record for the world’s strongest pepper!
*辣椒的热量是在Scoville量表上测量的，从没有任何可检测辣度的食物（如甜椒）的0上升到纯辣椒素（辣椒的活性成分）的1600000，埃斯佩莱特辣椒的热量超过2000，卡宴辣椒的热量超过40000，而拥有世界最强辣椒纪录的Trinidad Moruga Scorpion的热量超过1200000！
** It is precisely by using vegetable tannins that humankind developed the process of tanning skins to transform them into leather – which is rot-proof, flexible and water-resistant, thanks to the chemical bonds favoured by the tannins between the collagen fibres (proteins).
**正是通过使用植物单宁，人类开发了鞣制皮的过程，将其转化为皮革——由于胶原蛋白纤维（蛋白质）之间的单宁具有化学键，因此皮革具有防腐、柔性和防水性。
Christophe Lavelle
Researcher at the CNRS and the National Museum of Natural History in Paris
A food specialist, Christophe Lavelle teaches culinary physico-bio-chemistry at numerous universities and schools (including the University of Toulouse, University of Cergy-Pontoise, Le Cordon Bleu, and the Basque Culinary Centre) and regularly holds talks for the public and professionals (chefs, tutor, engineers). He is also co-manager of the PALIM (food heritage) network of the Sorbonne-Universities Alliance and a tutor at the INSPE for cooking and pastry teachers. He is the author of more than fifteen books including “All the Chemistry You Need to Know to Become a Chef!” (Flammarion, 2017); ″I Eat Therefore I Am.″ (Editions du Musée de l'Homme, 2019) and "Molecules: Science On Your Plate" (Ateliers de l'Argol, 2021).
原文链接：
Trigeminal sensations | Cité de la gastronomie Paris-Rungis (citegastronomie-parisrungis.com)
