Taste Preference Thresholds for Food-Associated Sugars in Baboons (Papio hamadryas anubis)

Abstract

We aimed to determine taste preference thresholds for 5 food-associated sugars in Papio hamadryas anubis. In a 2-bottle preference test of brief duration (2 min) 4 subadult baboons significantly preferred concentrations as low as 10 mM sucrose, 20 mM fructose, lactose, and maltose, and 25 mM glucose over tap water. Presentation of suprathreshold sugar solutions led to marked concentration-dependent polydipsia. The results show that baboons are among the most sugar-sensitive nonhuman primates tested so far and, thus, support the assumption that Papio hamadryas anubis may use sweetness as a criterion for food selection.