'Fingerprinting' plant compounds helps explain food and drink tastes

In red wines, ciders and dark chocolate, just to name a few, complex plant compounds called procyanidins contribute to the taste and mouthfeel of a food or beverage—its perceived astringency and bitterness. But while food scientists have been able to assess the total content of procyanidins in a food or drink, they have not yet identified which specific procyanidins are present and correlate to specific perceptions.