CD36 is a broadly expressed transmembrane protein that engages multiple ligands, including polar lipids. This protein is thought to even contribute to the chemosensory detection of long-chain fatty acids in the oral cavity of rodents. In this study, we assessed whether animals consciously perceive a ligand of CD36, 1-(palmitoyl)-2-(5-keto-6-octanedioyl)phosphatidylcholine (KOdiA-PC), and if so, whether CD36 is involved in sensing the oxidised phospholipid species. We found that mice avoided or hesitated to ingest fluids containing KOdiA-PC, suggesting a conscious perception of the lipid in the animals. We assessed the involvement and role of CD36 in the KOdiA-PC perception by comparing the behavioural responses of wild-type and CD36-deficient mice to the test fluids, and provided evidence that the protein could play a role in sensing a lower level of the lipid. We also found that transection of the olfactory nerve of wild-type mice resulted in an inability to perceive KOdiA-PC, suggesting the significance of olfactory system in the lipid sensing. Our findings, coupled with the recent finding of CD36 expression in the mouse olfactory epithelium, led us to predict that the site of CD36 action in the KOdiA-PC sensing plausibly lies within the nasal cavity of the animal.Animals have highly developed chemosensory systems that enable efficient detection of diverse soluble or volatile molecules. Detection of exogenous molecules by taste bud cells and/or olfactory receptor cells transmits signals to the brain and consequently induces various behavioural responses (e.g., appetitive or aversive response to foods) (21, 25). To better understand the mechanisms underlying chemosensory perception, much effort has gone into identifying sensory proteins in the oral and nasal cavities (4, 5). CD36 is a broadly expressed transmembrane protein associated with the recognition of multiple molecules (e.g., amphipathic lipids) (15,19). For instance, in macrophages, CD36 contributes to the clearance of oxidised forms of low-density lipoprotein from the blood by recognising distinct phospholipid species on the surface of the particles (6,20). Furthermore, CD36 expressed by enterocytes is believed to participate in not only recognition and absorption of long-chain fatty acids but also in formation of chylomicrons (18). In addition to its well-characterized functions, CD36 has been postulated to play an important role in the chemosensory detection of longchain fatty acids in the oral cavity, leading to an appetitive response to the lipid species in rodents. Several lines of evidence support this finding: CD36 is localised to the apical surface of taste bud cells in