Why is the odor of food stronger after it has just been cooked rather than if it is sitting around for a while

Answer 1

There are several causes.

1) Hot materials give off vapors more easly than cold materials. The heat "boils off" the smells. So, cold flavor oils don't evaporate as fast.

2) The longer the object sets, the less of the flavor oils are in the outer few millimeters, they've been boiled off, so the flavor scent oils have to come from deeper and deeper in the food, so they come out more slowly 'cause the outer layers of the food is in the way. That's why re-heating the food (unless it's a liquid) doesn't re-scent the room

3) Your nose become acustomed to the smell, and you notice it less.

All three elements combine to result in the effect noticed.

Answer 2

If it "is sitting around" long enough, the odor will strengthen significantly.

Seriously, molecules which you smell are simply more apt to escape and become airborne when the food is heated - giving the odor a greater concentration in the air when you inhale.

Answer 3

How "good" an odorant is at stimulating your olfactory epithelium (basically, the receptor cells of your sense of smell) is how volatile it is. When something is hotter, think of it as the molecules bouncing around more (ie. more volatile) which is why food that is being cooked smells stronger.

Answer 4

The heat gives the molecules that you can detect with your nose, more kinetic energy. The molecules are moving faster and thus more of them reach your nose. In addition more molecules are desorbing from the food due to the elevated temperature.

Answer 5

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