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