Factors explaining individual differences in taste sensitivity and taste modality recognition among Finnish adults

Abstract

The objective of this study was to investigate the factors affecting interindividual variation in the sense of taste among Finnish adults. Two components of taste function were examined with five established taste modalities: taste sensitivity and capability to identify taste modalities. The potential explanatory factors for taste function included gender, age, BMI, and smoking. In total, 205 volunteers participated in the study at the sensory evaluation laboratory of Functional Foods Forum. Older age (>50 years) and male gender predicted a less sensitive sense of taste in general. For umami sensitivity, high BMI along with older age predicted lower sensitivity. Additionally, taste recognition and sensitivity were related in bitter and umami tastes. Older age was also associated with a poorer capability in taste recognition. Sour–bitter, umami–salty, and salty–umami were the most frequent taste confusions. Practical applications These results showed individual differences in taste perception among adult. This study can help to understand diversity in personal eating practices and food choices, which can be utilized in personal nutritional guidance and well‐being applications. We suggest that umami should be included in studies concerning taste function. There is high variation in umami perception and as umami may increase food palatability, it can be an important element in improving diet especially among elderly people. In sensory research, panelists' interindividual variation in taste perception can be wide and should be acknowledged by careful design of studies.

Taste Sensitivity Is Associated with Food Consumption Behavior but not with Recalled Pleasantness

“…The mean taste sensitivity score was 1.94 (SD 0.50). The connections between taste sensitivities and background factors are reported in our previous publication [29]. In summary, increased age indicated lower taste sensitivity except for sweet taste.…”

“…Among Finnish consumers, increased berry liking has been linked to female sex and older age as well as some personality traits [44]. In this study population, the older subjects were less taste sensitive [29] which could explain the liking of strong and bitter-tasting foods and beverages. However, taste sensitivity was not a significant predictor in regression analysis.…”

“…This study is part of a large research project concerning individual differences in sensory perception and food-related behavior. Previously, we reported inter-individual variations in color [28] and taste perception [5,29]. The study population was segmented into taste sensitivity groups for each taste modality (sour, bitter, sweet, salty, and umami) based on intensity judgments of aqueous solutions [5].…”

Lezzet Algısının Oluşmasında Çevresel ve Genetik Faktörlerin Etkileri

“…Aynı zamanda 60 yaş üzerinde besinlerin dokusunu hissetmede kayıplar yaşandığı ve %50'sinden fazlasında koku algılama kaybı olduğu bilinmektedir (23). Finlandiya'da tat algısı üzerine yapılan bir çalışmada 50 yaş üzeri kişilerin genel popülasyona göre tat algısının daha düşük olduğu ve özellikle umami tadı duyarlılığının ileri yaşla ters ilişkili olduğu belirtilmiştir (26). Farklı bir çalışmada da artan yaşın tuzlu tada yanıt vermede ve koku algısında azalma ile ilişkili olduğu bulunmuştur (27) Lezzet algısının cinsiyete göre değerlendirmesinde net bir değerlendirme yapılamamaktadır.…”

The roles of genes in the bitter taste

“…The greater palatable a meal is, the extra probably it will be eaten. Thus, meals first-rate perceived with our senses is a vital factor contributing to our diet and health [23]. The presence of some healthful phytochemicals in meals can be paired with high bitterness, and buyers have a tremendous avoidance of bitter-tasting food.…”