Detection and apparent taste intensity of salt—acid mixtures in two media

Abstract

Gustatory responses to mixtures of sodium chloride and citric acid were measured in two media of dispersion, distilled water and green bean puree, by fifteen experienced Ss. The two psychophysical methods employed, detection thresholds and apparent taste intensity, showed good agreement. Salt sharply depressed apparent sourness in both media, as well as interfering with detection of sourness. Citric acid influenced apparent saltiness in a complex manner, dependent upon concentration, media, method, and tile individual S. In water, lower concentrations of acid generally enhanced and higher concentrations depressed saltiness. Within both media, half the Ss indicated an enhancement of saltiness with increasing acidity and half indicated the reverse. Higher acid levels interfered with detection of saltiness. This biphasic response to binary taste stimuli are discussed and compared with pertinent findings from previous literature.