Oral food perception and polyphenol-rich foods acceptance - the importance of knowing individuals saliva characteristics for promoting consumption

Abstract

Polyphenols are widely present in fruits, vegetables, cereals and beverages. Their study gained scientific interest because of their beneficial effects on health. Although there is currently no official dietary recommendation for polyphenol intake, health professionals recommend the consumption of 5-8 daily portions of fruits and vegetables. This is not always achieved and may be due to the aversive bitter and astringent sensations associated to polyphenols1, which are differently perceived among different individuals. As such, a better understanding on mechanisms responsible for differences among people, in polyphenol oral perception, is needed for promoting healthier choices. Saliva has been linked to polyphenol consumption. We have previously observed, in animal models, changes in salivary proteome induced by tannin-enriched diets2,3,4. Moreover, differences in astringency perception were attributed to differences in salivary protein composition5. In a recent experiment, we observed differences among individuals with dissimilar tannic-acid perception: people with high sensitivity for the oral sensations elicited by tannins have higher amounts of salivary cystatins and lower capacity to maintain their levels after tannic-acid ingestion. Additionally, and similarly to previous studies2,3, salivary amylase was observed to be involved in tannin perception. In this presentation, oral cavity characteristics influencing the perception of polyphenol-containing foods will be discussed.