Hedonic response of sucrose likers and dislikers to other gustatory stimuli

Abstract

The majority of individuals can be classified as sweet likers or dislikers based on their hedonic (pleasure) response to sucrose solutions of varying concentrations. Our results indicate that the sweet liker/disliker distinction generalizes to sugars other than sucrose, i.e., glucose and fructose. As well, these individual hedonic response patterns are maintained even when a flavor and color are added to sucrose solutions. However, whether one is a sweet liker or disliker does not predict hedonic response to nonsweet tastes such as salt. These results indicate that the sweet liker/disliker distinction is a robust phenomenon which appears to generalize over, but is restricted to, sweet-tasting substances. The possibility that individual differences in hedonic response may predict preferences for, and intake of, complex tastes characteristic of foods encountered in the real world, is discussed.