Influence of taste-modifiers on taste responses of pygmy goats

Abstract

SUMMARYThe taste responses of pygmy goats to addition of gymnemic acid (GymA), inosinic acid (InoA), or monosodium glutamate (MSG) t o sucrose or quinine monohydrochloride (QHC1) solutions were studied. Addition of 20, 40 or 100 p.p.m. GymA to 25 % sucrose (aversive) solution caused the goats to show strong preference responses. Addition of GymA to a 30 % sucrose solution did not change the response from strong rejection. Addition of GymA to 1000 p.p.m. QHC1 did not change the strong rejection response, but additions of 10, 20, 60, 80 or 100 p.p.m. GymA to a 200 p.p.m. QHC1 solution changed the response from rejection to non-discrimination or weak preference.Addition of 50 to 500 p.p.m. InoA to 0·08 % sucrose solution did not change the response from non-discrimination; InoA added to a 6·25 p.p.m. QHC1 solution, changed the response from non-discrimination to rejection at 50 p.p.m. and to strong rejection at 250 p.p.m. When MSG was added to 0·08% sucrose solution, the response remained non-discriminatory until 500 p.p.m. MSG was reached; this elicited a weak rejection. MSG (5, 50, or 500 p.p.m.) added to 10 % sucrose solution, changed the response from moderate preference o t non-discrimination. With 30 % sucrose solution the response was changed from weak rejection to non-discrimination by addition of 5 or 50 p.p.m. MSG but reverted to weak rejection at 250 p.p.m. MSG and to non-discrimination at 500 p.p.m. MSG. The addition of 5 to 250 p.p.m. MSG to 100 p.p.m. QHC1 solution changed the taste response from moderate rejection to non-discrimination; 500 p.p.m. resulted in slight rejection. Addition of 5 to 500 p.p.m. MSG to 6·25 p.p.m. QHC1 solution did not change the response from non-discrimination.