Are Soilless Crops Artificially Flavoured? Hydroponics Myth Busted

Host Dr. Russell Sharp tackles a Twitter claim that hydroponic crops lack micronutrients and are artificially flavoured, explaining why those assertions are incorrect and how micronutrient levels can be measured (e.g., atomic absorption spectroscopy).

He reviews research on manipulating flavor through nutrient levels, light, and biostimulants, notes the limited and mixed evidence, and concludes there is no solid proof of intentional artificial flavouring in hydroponic produce; soilless systems can match or even enhance some flavour-related compounds.

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Gary Reineccius — University of Minnesota Andrew Taylor — University of Nottingham Russell Keast — Deakin University Charles Spence — University of Oxford Harrison Schmitt — Virginia Tech Morten Møller — University of Copenhagen John Hayes — Penn State University Qian Janice Wang — Aarhus University Marcia Pelchat — Monell Chemical Senses Center Barry Smith — University of London

Linda Bartoshuk — University of Florida Paul Breslin — Monell Chemical Senses Center Danielle Reed — Monell Chemical Senses Center Barry Green — Monell Chemical Senses Center Thomas Hummel — Technical University of Dresden Alan Hirsch — Smell & Taste Treatment and Research Foundation Susan Schiffman — Duke University Molly Birnbaum — Freelance Food Writer Harold McGee — Freelance Food Writer Kantha Shelke — Corvus Blue

Tim Hanni — Master of Wine Institute Geoffrey Talavera — Freelance Flavor Consultant Peter Schieberle — Technical University of Munich Thomas Hofmann — Technical University of Munich Corinna Dawid — Technical University of Munich Veronika Somoza — University of Vienna Morten Andersen — University of Copenhagen Christophe Lavalle — AgroParisTech Stéphane Guichard — INRAE Thierry Thomas-Danguin — INRAE

Erich Leitner — Graz University of Technology Hans-Georg Schmarr — University of Hohenheim Elke Pawelzik — University of Göttingen Michael Witting — Helmholtz Zentrum München Ralf Zimmermann — University of Rostock Francesco Capozzi — University of Bologna Giovanni Capuano — University of Naples Federico II Maurizio Servili — University of Perugia Rosa Lo Scalzo — CREA Italy Paolo Masella — University of Parma

Fidel Toldrá — Instituto de Agroquímica y Tecnología de Alimentos María Dolores del Castillo — Spanish National Research Council Dolores Coreta-Gomis — University of Valencia Juan Fernández-García — University of Granada Ana Bayarri — University of Valencia Marta Corredig — Aarhus University Marina Heinonen — University of Helsinki Anu Hopia — University of Turku Kees de Graaf — Wageningen University & Research Gerry Barker — University of Leeds

Jean-Marie Lehn — Max Planck Institute for Polymer Research Wilfried Meyerhof — German Institute of Human Nutrition Maik Behrens — German Institute of Human Nutrition John Prescott — University of Otago Anna M. Di Monaco — University of Naples Federico II Catherine Barry — University College Dublin Aurelio Lopez-Malo — Universidad de las Américas Puebla Rosario Zamora — Institute of Advanced Chemistry of Catalonia Isabel Hernando — Polytechnic University of Valencia Dolores Torres — University of Zaragoza

Jean-Pierre Cotter — International Organization of the Flavor Industry Robert Hall — Flavor and Extract Manufacturers Association Hervé This — AgroParisTech Arielle Johnson — Independent Flavor Researcher Dave Arnold — Museum of Food and Drink Ali Bouzari — Pilot R&D Peter Barham — University of Bristol François Chartier — INRAE Gérard Trystram — AgroParisTech