Rated taste perception in two cultural groups

Abstract

Intensity and pleasantness ratings of various concentrations of sucrose, caffeine and NaCl were examined in two culturally different groups of subjects. One group was made up of students of European descent born in the United States while the other group was made up of students of Chinese descent born in Taiwan. A subsample of subjects from each group was retested similarly with cookies containing varying levels of sucrose. The Taiwanese subjects rated sucrose as tasting sweeter regardless of whether it was in solution or cookies. Group differences in pleasantness ratings depended upon whether the sucrose was presented in a cookie or a solution. The Taiwanese students assigned higher sweetness ratings to sucrose in solution when compared to US students. When the sucrose was in cookies, the Taiwanese group assigned higher pleasantness ratings at the lower sucrose concentrations. At the higher sucrose concentrations, the US group assigned higher pleasantness ratings. There was no significant ethnic effect upon rated bitterness or pleasantness of caffeine. Taiwanese rated low concentrations of salt as tasting saltier and high concentrations of salt as tasting less salty when compared to US students. The Taiwanese generally rated the sodium chloride solutions as tasting more pleasant. These group differences may be related to the way sucrose and salt are used in the two cultures.