Cognitive Keys in Psychophysical Estimation of Chemosensory Perception in University Students.

Laura María Martínez-Sánchez,Tomás Eugenio Martínez-García,Concha Martínez-García,Cecilio Parra-Martínez

doi:10.3390/foods10123134

Laura María Martínez-Sánchez, Tomás Eugenio Martínez-García + Show 2 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3390/foods10123134

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Abstract

Psychophysical methods allow us to measure the relationship between stimuli and sensory perception. Of these, Detection Threshold (DT) allows us to know the minimum concentration to produce taste identification. Given this, we wonder whether, for example, wine tasting experts are more capable of perceiving their sensory properties than other people, or whether they can distinguish them because they are better able to “describe” them. To verify this, this study analyses the influence of having prior knowledge of the name astringency and, failing that, to detect it and distinguish it between the four basic tastes. One-hundred-and-sixty-two university students with an average age of 19.43 (SD = 2.55) years were assigned to three experimental conditions: an experimental group (G.2) without previous knowledge of the name astringency and with alimentary satiety, and two control groups, both with previous knowledge of the name, these being G.1, with satiety, and G.3, with hunger. DT was collected for the four basic tastes and astringencies. Results showed significant differences in the identification of astringency, being the least identified experimental group with respect to the control groups. It is striking that G.2, without prior knowledge of the name, identified astringency as a bitter taste in most cases. This supports our hypothesis of the importance of attending to linguistic cognitive processes when psychophysically estimating taste in humans.

Highlights

Advancing the understanding of psychological processes that are involved in the perception of food by consumers, for their preference of choice or rejection, has been seeing an increasing trend in recent years; there are numerous factors that influence the sensory mechanism, and there are difficulties in its analysis methodology, so we are still far from elucidating the guidelines that would give concordance between consumer expectations and their sensory experience of what is consumed [1]
In relation to studies that focus on the ingredients that promote an unwanted taste sensation, mostly in order to minimize or balance them, we found studies that delve into the mechanisms involved in the perception of astringency, usually described by experimental subjects as a sensation of dryness and roughness in the mouth [2]
Among the best-known astringent foods would be cheese, tea, walnut skins, chocolate and numerous fruits, but in wine, astringency has great relevance because its balanced level could distinguish a great wine from a bad one, given that astringency enhances the flavors of red wines and prolongs their finish [6,7,8]

Summary

Introduction

Advancing the understanding of psychological processes that are involved in the perception of food by consumers, for their preference of choice or rejection, has been seeing an increasing trend in recent years; there are numerous factors that influence the sensory mechanism, and there are difficulties in its analysis methodology, so we are still far from elucidating the guidelines that would give concordance between consumer expectations and their sensory experience of what is consumed [1]. In relation to studies that focus on the ingredients that promote an unwanted taste sensation, mostly in order to minimize or balance them, we found studies that delve into the mechanisms involved in the perception of astringency, usually described by experimental subjects as a sensation of dryness and roughness in the mouth [2]. Questions remain about how the brain processes and modulates the perception of taste

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