The chemistry of artificial banana flavor

Today's Video of the Day from the American Chemical Society seeks out the science behind artificial banana flavor. The researchers found that a single molecule, isoamyl acetate, is responsible for the distinctive taste of artificial banana. This molecule can also be found in actual bananas. However, artificial banana flavor was created before bananas were widely available in American markets. This means that many Americans probably tasted the chemical version of a banana before ever tasting a real one. Out of over 1,000 banana varieties, …