Association of thermal taste and PROP responsiveness with food liking, neophobia, body mass index, and waist circumference

Abstract

6-n-Propylthiouracil (PROP) responsiveness is a well-established index of individual variation in oral sensation that has a genetic basis and appears to predict food liking and consumption. More recently, thermal taster status (TTS), a new marker of individual variation in oral sensation was identified. Thermal tasters (TTs) perceive phantom tastes in response to lingual thermal stimulation, and are more responsive to orosensory stimuli than thermal non-tasters (TnTs). The association of TTS and PROP responsiveness with food liking, body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC), and neophobia was examined. One hundred and twenty-seven subjects rated liking of 332 food and beverage items, which included different preparations of foods, using a 7-point hedonic scale. TTS did not associate with BMI or WC, and contrary to previous studies, neither did PROP responsiveness. TnTs’ greater liking of cooked fruits and vegetables over TTs suggests that differences between TTS groups may be texturally driven. As expected, liking of bitter and fatty foods and cream was inversely related to PROP responsiveness.