The recent research from Robin Dando and his team was featured in the article”Decoding the Science of Taste,” that was published in the May 2016 issue of Food Technology magazine. Mary Ellen Kuhn, the executive editor of the magazine, talked with the researchers from various research and academic institutions (including Monell Chemical Senses Center, Cornell University, Pennsylvania State University) and the industry (Senomyx, Mattson) to discuss the new discoveries in the field.
Here are just a few highlights from the article:
- “Taste is complicated.” There only three types of photoreceptors that are responsible for color vision, where as there are at least 25 different receptors just to sense bitter taste.
- Taste receptors are not limited to the oral cavity; but also found in the gut, pancreas, lungs, and nose. The role of receptors in the “non-taste” organs is not yet well understood.
- Researchers continue to explore the link between sweetness and obesity. A recent study found that children with more body fat were more sensitive to sweetness at lower concentrations.
- Dietary sodium consumption remains a public health issue. While there are many sugar substitutes on the market, there is still no good alternative for table salt (sodium chloride). A common salt substitute (potassium chloride) has some off-tastes. A big focus for the researchers at Monell is now to understand the salt taste perception and neurophysiological pathways behind it in hopes to create salt-alternatives in the future.
- Taste and smell work together to create flavor. The sense of smell seems to help us better learn and remember the identity of different foods. The taste plays a more functional role, helping us make sure that we choose foods with nutrients our bodies need (sweet=sugar/energy, savory=amino acids). The taste can also be influenced by other senses besides the smell. Yan and Dando found that noise reduced the sweetness perception, but did not affect the perceptions of sour, bitter or salty stimuli.
- Scientists are learning more about the transient receptor potential (TRP) channels located on the trigeminal nerve endings that respond to chemical irritants (e.g. capsaicin in chili peppers). Using irritants, like capsaicin, wasabi, menthol or carbonation, may make food more interesting for the older adults and help them maintain nutritional status.
- We know that individual taste preferences start to develop before birth and later in life experiences continue to shape these preferences. New research from Monell shows that genetics also play a role, for example, sweetness taste perception is 30% genetically influenced.
- In the past, product developers targeted 50% or so of the population with “average” taste sensitivities. Now, with the rise of niche brands from
smaller, entrepreneurial companies, there is a trend for more personalization and micro targeting in food product development. - Exploring in depth the sensory perception of fat is the next big frontier for the researchers.
For the full article, please click on the link below:
http://www.ift.org/food-technology/past-issues/2016/may/features/science-of-taste.aspx
