Taste

Main

Taste is one of the five basic senses that allows us to perceive different flavors in food and drink through taste receptors, primarily located on the tongue. The sense of taste works in conjunction with the sense of smell and the nervous system to create the perception of flavor and helps protect us from ingesting harmful substances.

Phases of taste:

1. Taste molecules dissolve in saliva, which is a crucial step for the molecules to reach the taste receptors.

2. Taste receptors, located within taste buds, detect the dissolved taste molecules. Each receptor is sensitive to specific types of molecules corresponding to different tastes.

3. Taste receptor cells, upon detecting the taste molecules, send electrical signals through the nervous system to the brain, specifically to the gustatory cortex in the frontal lobe.

4. The gustatory cortex processes and interprets the electrical signals, resulting in the perception of different tastes and flavors. This information is integrated with signals from the olfactory system to create the overall flavor experience.

Five primary tastes:

• Sweet

• Salty

• Sour

• Bitter

• Umami (savory)

In addition to the five primary tastes, there are several other taste sensations that are not universally recognized as primary tastes but contribute to the overall flavor experience. These include fat (oleogustus), starch, calcium, kokumi, coolness, metallicity, and the recently discovered taste of ammonium chloride, which is detected by the OTOP1 receptor.

Terms

• Taste buds: Structures that contain 50-100 specialized taste receptor cells, located primarily on the tongue. Each taste bud can detect five primary tastes: sweet, salty, sour, bitter, and umami.

• Taste receptor cells: Specialized cells within taste buds that detect taste molecules dissolved in saliva. They have hair-like structures called taste hairs that respond to specific tastes.

• Gustatory cortex: A region in the frontal lobe of the brain where taste perceptions are identified, processed, and integrated with other sensory information to create the overall flavor experience.

Analogy

Taste receptors are like tiny food critics in your mouth. Just as a food critic samples different dishes and provides feedback on their quality and flavor, taste receptors sample the food you eat and send signals to your brain about the taste and whether it's safe to swallow.

Misconception

Many people believe that different areas of the tongue are responsible for detecting specific tastes, such as sweet at the tip and bitter at the back. However, all taste qualities are detected across the entire tongue where taste buds are present.

History

1. Ancient Greece (circa 400 BC): Democritus proposed that all tastes are based on the shape of food particles.

2. 1901: D. Hanig published a paper suggesting that different areas of the tongue are sensitive to different tastes, known as the "tongue map".

3. 1970s-present: Research has shown that all taste qualities are detected across the tongue and the "tongue map" is a misconception.

4. 2023: Researchers discovered that ammonium chloride, a key ingredient in salty licorice, may be detected by the OTOP1 receptor, which was previously thought to only detect sourness. This suggests that ammonium chloride could potentially be considered a new primary taste.

How to use it

1. Be mindful of the taste of your food and appreciate the different flavors to enhance your eating experience.

2. Use your sense of taste to identify spoiled or contaminated food to avoid potential illness.

3. If you experience a sudden change in your sense of taste, consult a doctor as it may indicate an underlying health condition, such as an infection, nutrient deficiency, or side effects from medication.

Facts

• The average person has about 10,000 taste buds.

• Taste buds have a lifespan of about 10 days before they are replaced by new ones.

• We can lose our sense of taste during illnesses like the common cold or COVID-19 because the infection or inflammation can damage taste receptors or disrupt the nervous system pathways involved in taste perception.

• Many processed foods are designed to manipulate our taste preferences by combining primary tastes, such as sweet and salty, or by using additives that enhance or modify flavors, making the foods more appealing and potentially leading to overconsumption.

• Smoking can reduce the number of taste buds on your tongue by up to 50%.