The functionalities of foods have generally been divided into three categories: primary (nutritional), secondary (palatability) and tertiary (bio-regulatory), each of which has been the subject of research. The third function of food, or 'food functionality', has traditionally been considered to be the absorption of food constituents through the gastrointestinal tract and their beneficial physiological changes in the organism, as in the case of pharmaceuticals. More recently, however, it has become clear that a decline in the senses of taste and smell is an early symptom of dementia, and that bitter taste receptors in the gastrointestinal tract can inhibit feeding and improve glucose tolerance. This suggests that the chemical senses of taste and smell in food regulate our homeostasis. We have therefore named the novel field of "sensory nutrition" to elucidate the 'biological regulatory effects of the food senses'. By promoting sensory nutrition, we are creating a paradigm shift in the field of food nutrition