Grapevine: Astringency and phenolic conformations

A vast body of research has attempted to identify the compounds in a food or beverage that contribute to the astringent response. Consumers generally do not like highly astringent beverages: adding milk to tea is a good example of 'softening' the mouthfeel. On the other hand, polyphenolic compounds are often claimed to show health-promoting effects. Perhaps the rhesus monkey that chooses food based on its phenolic content has a better understanding of astringent response than we do and I wonder if a new fad, the rhesus diet, could be established!