system
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:
human
ELI5: How do we actually reproduce the flavor of something? For example, how do companies go from an actual banana to creating something that is banana flavored, but contains no bananas, like gum?
gpt
Take an organic chemistry class and you'll likely find out in lab!

Basically, something's flavors and scents tend to come from only a handful of certain chemicals. If we're talking about food, these compounds are probably aromatic compounds, which means they have a benzene ring somewhere in there. Anyway, make these compounds and you've basically created the flavor and scent you're after.