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SUMMARY–The relative sweetness of sugars and sugar mixtures was studied. In addition to the simple sugars (sucrose, dextrose and fructose), the amino acids, glycine and D, L‐alanine, and the synthetic sweeteners, calcium cyclamate and sodium saccharin, were studied. Using the method of magnitude estimation, considerable data were obtained about relative sweetness over a reasonably wide concentration range. Only two sessions per subject were required to obtain meaningful results. Relative sweetness of the sugars was found to increase with increasing concentration—a pattern quite similar for all the sugars. Changing the reference or reference concentration resulted in shifts in the relative sweetness values for a particular sugar; however, these changes were consistent at all concentrations tested. Slope values for the individual sugars were in good agreement with previously reported results. The individual subjects responses showed a consistent pattern throughout the 10‐month period.Synergistic effects, as much as 20 to 30%, were noted in several sugar mixture combinations but not all concentrations. The data support the concept that there are optimal mixture combinations. The potential applications of these observations are discussed.

SUMMARY Data are presented to demonstrate the relationship between the subjective mouthfeel of selected gums, cornstarch, gum tragacanth, carboxymethyl cellulose and methyl cellulose, and their rheological properties as measured by a viscosimeter. The mouthfeel of the gum solutions was evaluated subjectively on a 7‐point intensity scale of degree of sliminess. The viscous solutions containing sucrose were ranked more sweet by most of the panel; however, rankings between pairs of viscous and non‐viscous solutions were not significantly different. Sucrose detection thresholds for the panel also changed as a function of viscosity. Sensitivity for sucrose was highest in water, lowest in the presence of carboxymethyl cellulose, and intermediate with cornstarch. The results of these tests and their application to foods is discussed.

In a study reported earlier (Stone & Oliver, 1968), it was observed that mixtures of selected sugars were significantly sweeter than the simple addition of their individual sweetness as measured by the method of magnitude estimation. Of all the sugars and sugar mixture combinations studied, the largest effect, about 35%, was noted with dextrose-fructuse mixtures. It was of interest to investigate to what extent such factors as temperature and pH influenced the estimates of relative sweetness intensity for this sugar mixture. Sato (1967), in a recent review on the effect of temperature on gustatory response, summarized the human evidence as somewhat contradictory, depending on the stimuli (sweet, sour, salty, or bitter), and the experimental temperatures. In experiments with mammals other than man, Sato reported that when the tongue was preadapted to the experimental temperature the response to various taste stimuli was greatest when the stimulus was at the temperature of the tongue (approximately 30 deg C). This response usually decreased in magnitude at either extreme (10 deg or 50 deg C), although he cautioned against simple extrapolation from one animal species to another and from one taste quality to another. In man, the situation appears to be no less confusing. Pfaffmann (1959) summarized much of the work by pointing out that temperature effects were variable, citing Goudrian (1930) as reporting apparent taste intensity of sugar solutions increasing with temperatures changing from 10 deg to 40 deg C. Tsuzuki and Yamazaki (1953) reported the relative sweetness intensity of fructose decreased going from 5 deg to 60 deg C.The effect of pH on the relative sweetness of sugars is generally conceded to be one of depression. In a series of studies with acetic, citric, lactic, and tartaric acids, Pangborn (1961Pangborn ( , 1965 found all four depressed the sweetness intensity of the four test sugars (sucrose, fructose, glucose, lactose).Since previous investigators had employed single sugars and not mixtures, we felt it desirable to report our results using suprathreshold mixtures of dextrose-fructose solutions. METHOD SubjectsTwelve persons, all of whom had prior experience with taste testing, were used as the panel. Each S participated in every experiment and missed sessions were made up as soon as possible. The Ss were tested individually approximately the same time of day throughout the experiment. StimuliThis study was divided into two parts; the first part considered the effect of temperature and the second the effect of pH. The test stimuli for both experiments were dextrose (highest purity, Corn Products Company) and fructose (Mann Assayed, CP, SI290). The pH was adjusted with citric acid. All compounds had a purity in excess of 99%.Glass-distilled, charcoal-filtered water was used to prepare the solutions and was available to Ss for rinsing purposes. All solutions were prepared approximately 24 h before testing and were discarded after 48 h. Fresh solutions were prepared for make-up tests. Distilled wate...