Juerg SolmsThe common pure amino acids have the following taste properties near neutrality: no taste at all or a barely perceptible taste (o-Ala, , sweet taste (in order of decreasing sweetness: D-Try, o-His, D-Phe, D-Tyr, D-Leu, L-Ala, Gly), bitter taste (in order of decreasing bitterness: L-Try, L-Phe, L-Tyr, L-Leu), and sulfurous taste (d-and L-CySH and d-and L-Met). L-Glutamic acid has a unique taste-potentiating property; a similar effect has been reported for tricholomic acid and ibotenic acid. Pure peptides have been investigated to a lesser extent. Examples are presented of peptides with bitter and other taste sensations.Proteins have been found to provide tactual and astringent effects. The contributions of these substances to the flavor of food products often exceed the taste properties of the pure compounds.
The bitter taste of many protein rich foods resides in the peptide fraction. 61 bitter tasting peptides, isolated from natural systems, and 145 bitter tasting synthetic peptides are reviewed. The relationships between average hydrophobicity and bitter taste are then discussed.
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