Basic Tastes Research Articles

Pairing coffee with basic tastes and real foods changes perceived sensory characteristics and consumer liking

Coffee has, like wine and beer, a wide aroma spectrum, yet coffee-food pairings have not found their way into the menu of fine restaurants and the scientific literature. It is still unknown why certain beverage-food pairings are a match. The aim of this study is twofold: first, we characterize four coffees by sensory descriptive analysis (DA) where assessors evaluated samples before and after tasting aqueous solutions representing five basic tastes (BT); secondly, we investigate consumers’ liking of the same four coffees, both in isolation and when paired with a sweet or savory food.The DA results showed that exposure to all BT influenced the subsequent perceived attribute intensity of coffee; however, the direction of the effect was dependent on the BT, the coffee, and the specific sensory attribute. Most sensory attribute intensities decreased after exposure to the BT, only exposure to the BT bitter increased the intensity of more attributes than it decreased.The consumer test showed that preference for the coffee were mostly related to intrinsic characteristics of the samples as over half of the data variance in consumer liking (56%) related to the difference between samples described by fruity, floral and berry attributes, and samples described by chocolate, nutty and sweet attributes. Pairing coffee with either sweet or savory food accounted for an additional 20% of the variance in liking. Drivers of liking were sample-specific, with one common denominator: when consumers perceive the coffee as sour, they liked it significantly less. Overall, with respect to coffee-food pairing, coffee characterized as having chocolate, nutty, sweet notes are more suitable to be paired with food than coffees characterized as fruity, floral, berry.

Crossmodal correspondences between basic tastes and visual design features: A narrative historical review.

People tend to associate abstract visual features with basic taste qualities. This narrative historical review critically evaluates the literature on these associations, often referred to as crossmodal correspondences, between basic tastes and visual design features such as color hue and shape curvilinearity. The patterns, discrepancies, and evolution in the development of the research are highlighted while the mappings that have been reported to date are summarized. The review also reflects on issues of cross-cultural validity and deviations in the matching patterns that are observed when correspondences are assessed with actual tastants versus with verbal stimuli. The various theories that have been proposed to account for different classes of crossmodal correspondence are discussed, among which the statistical and affective (or emotional-mediation) accounts currently appear most promising. Several critical research questions for the future are presented to address the gaps that have been identified in the literature and help validate the popular theories on the origin and operations of visual-taste correspondences.

Alterations of gustatory sensitivity and taste liking in individuals with blindness or deafness

Food ingestion is crucial for an organism, and eating and drinking are multisensory, complex experiences affected by all functioning modalities. Still, little is known about gustatory perception in blindness and deafness. Empirical studies with this regard have been very scarce and the aim of the current study was to explore whether gustatory compensation may occur like the adjustments observed in other aspects of sensory processing, or if liking of various tastes is affected by blindness or deafness. We hypothesized a decreased gustatory sensitivity and lower liking of all tastes in subjects with hearing disabilities; expected outcomes in the group with blindness were less well justified by the mixed results reported to date. To address the relationship of gustatory sensitivity and taste liking with sensory impairments, we compared the gustatory acuity and liking of bitter, salty, sour and sweet tastes of 100 individuals with blindness and 74 people with deafness with matched control groups without sensory impairments. We found that deafness was associated with lower gustatory sensitivity toward the basic tastes and their decreased likeability, and that blindness predicted an increased sensitivity only towards the salty taste, and just among individuals with an early visual loss. Our results suggest that auditory and visual deficits may undermine food experience and may lead to altered taste liking. Reasons of these outcomes discussed in the current article vary from anatomy to social and economic decisions driving gustatory experience.

Use of monosodium glutamate in foods: the good, the bad, and the controversial side

Introduction: Monosodium glutamate (MSG) is known as a flavor-enhancing compound and also the fifth basic taste (umami). About the safety of using MSG as a food additive, some studies show indications that there is no threat and others show the opposite. There is no consensus about the advantages and disadvantages of using MSG. Objective: To systematically review studies in the international literature on the knowledge of the pros and cons of using glutamate in food. Methods: Systematic review of studies published in journals indexed in ScienceDirect and PubMed databases. Articles published until 2020 were included. The aspects involving the advantages and disadvantages were discussed, as well as the health risks related to the MSG intake from diet. Results: The revised studies showed that MSG can reduce the amount of sodium in foods without modifying flavor. Although authorities indicate that MSG is safe for human consumption, some studies highlight that health risk is real. The use of MSG is still controversial because there are some misunderstandings in the applied amounts of MSG absorption and metabolism. Conclusion: MSG is widely applied in industrial and homemade food. The need for further studies is crucial, and aspects such as metabolism and amounts of MSG effectively consumed must be better evaluated.

Taste Preferences and Orosensory Feed Testing Behavior in Barramundi Lates calcarifer (Latidae, Perciformes)

In the cultivation of barramundi Lates calcarifer, one of the key factors is developing new commercial feeds that are nutritionally adequate and attractive to fish. The sensory quality of feeds can be improved by taste stimulants. The aim of the present study is to examine the taste attractiveness of 21 free L-amino acids and 4 basic taste substances (0.1–0.001 M). The feeding behavior that accompanied the orosensory testing of feed is also studied. Agar pellets flavored with each taste substance were individually offered to barramundi juveniles (5–9 cm, 4–10 g). Citric acid, cysteine, and alanine were palatable; sucrose and 7 amino acids had an aversive taste; sodium chloride, calcium chloride, and 12 amino acids did not influence the consumption of pellets. Taste preferences for amino acids are positively correlated in 6 out of 21 fish species, which confirms high species specificity of taste preferences in fishes. Barramundi often make repeated grasps and rejections of pellets regardless of their palatability, which led to the destruction of pellets in up to 50% of trials. When swallowing, fish retain pellets several times longer, and pellet fragmentation occurs more often, than in the case of final refusal of pellets. The data presented here can be used to improve the cultivation of barramundi.

Increases in the pungency of allyl isothiocyanate and piperine by CaSR agonists, glutathione and γ-glutamyl-valyl-glycine

γ-Glutamyl peptides, including glutathione (γ-Glu-Cys-Gly, GSH) and γ-glutamyl-valyl-glycine (γ-Glu-Val-Gly), have been shown to increase the intensity of basic tastes, such as salty, sweet, and umami, and flavor, including mouthfulness, but had no taste themselves at the concentrations tested. Although the mechanisms of action of γ-glutamyl peptides currently remain unclear, the involvement of the calcium sensing receptor (CaSR) has been suggested. Since GSH and γ-Glu-Val-Gly increase the pungency of some spices, the present study investigated their effects on the pungency of allyl isothiocyanate (AITC) using a sensory evaluation. GSH and γ-Glu-Val-Gly both significantly increased the pungency of AITC, while anserine, a peptide without CaSR activity, did not. GSH-induced increases in pungency were suppressed by NPS-2143, a CaSR inhibitor. Further, γ-Glu-Val-Gly significantly increased the pungency of piperine. The present results suggest that GSH and γ-Glu-Val-Gly increased the pungency by activating CaSR.

Neural insights into sweet taste transduction and hunger-induced taste modification in mice

Feeding is one of the most fundamental activities in the survival and reproduction of animals. During feeding, the gustatory system functions as a gatekeeper to evaluate food quality. Accumulated evidence in the field of taste research has shown that 5 basic tastes (sweet, umami, sour, bitter, and salty) are sensed by the corresponding taste receptors expressed in taste receptor cells on the tongue. In contrast, brain mechanisms that transduce or modify taste information have been less studied. In this review, I introduce our recent findings on the sweet taste transduction in the brainstem of mice and explain the hypothalamic neuronal network regulating hunger-induced taste modification. Finally, future perspectives are discussed.

Automatic measurement of acidity from roasted coffee beans images using efficient deep learning

AbstractSourness is one of the basic yet essential tastes of coffee that is chemically composed of acids and quantitatively represented in the pH scale. Current tools for measuring the acidity level in roasted coffee beans, including traditional methods, require brewing sample coffee and probing the chemical components, limiting the applicability to end customers seeking to estimate the acidity level before choosing the right coffee beans to purchase. This paper proposes a novel approach to directly estimate the acidity levels from roasted coffee beans images by framing the problem into an image classification task, where a picture of roasted coffee beans is categorized into its appropriate pH range. As a result, end customers could simply estimate coffee beans' acidity levels by taking photos with conventional cameras. Multiple traditional machine learning and deep learning algorithms are validated for their ability to predict the correct acidity levels. The experiment results reveal that EfficientNet yields the best performance with an average F1 of 0.71 when trained with images from separate portable devices.Practical ApplicationsThe research's findings could also be extended to applications in the coffee‐industrial settings, such as automatically monitoring roasted coffee beans' quality from image and video streams. For end customers, the trade‐off between efficacy and efficiency of the EfficientNet algorithm is also investigated, which sheds light on the implementation aspects of state‐of‐the‐art deep learning models in portable devices such as smartphones or cameras. Such applications could prove to be a cost‐effective and convenient solution for customers to quickly measure roasted coffee beans' sourness before deciding to purchase.

Basic taste sensitivity, eating behaviour, food propensity and BMI of preadolescent children: How are they related?

Background: Taste sensitivity has been reported to influence children’s eating behaviour and contribute to their food preferences and intake. This study aimed to investigate the associations between taste sensitivity, eating behaviour, food propensity and BMI (Body Mass Index) in preadolescents. Methods: Preadolescents’ taste sensitivity was measured by detection threshold of sweetness (sucrose), sourness (citric acid), saltiness (sodium chloride), bitterness (caffeine, quinine), and umami (monosodium glutamate). In addition, the Child Eating Behaviour Questionnaire (CEBQ), the Food Propensity Questionnaire (FPQ), and the children’s body weight and height were completed by the parents. A total of 69 child-parent dyads participated (preadolescents mean age =10.9 years). Results: Taste sensitivity to caffeine bitterness was significantly associated with eating behaviour in food responsiveness, emotional overeating, and desire to drink. The preadolescents who were less sensitive to caffeine bitterness had higher food responsiveness scores. Those who were less sensitive to caffeine bitterness and to sweetness had higher emotional overeating scores. In addition, preadolescents who were less sensitive to sourness and bitterness of both caffeine and quinine demonstrated to have higher scores in desire to drink. There was no association between taste sensitivity and FPQ, but significant differences were observed across preadolescents’ BMI for FPQ of dairy food items, indicating higher consumption of low-fat milk in the overweight/obese compared to the normal-weight subjects. There was no significant difference in taste sensitivity according to BMI. Preadolescents’ eating behaviour differed across BMI, demonstrating a positive association between BMI and food approach, and a negative association between BMI and food avoidance. Conclusions: This study contributes to the preliminary understanding of the relationships between taste sensitivity and eating behaviour in preadolescents. The results may be used to develop effective strategies to promote healthy eating practices by considering

Association of phenylthiocarbamide perception with anthropometric variables and intake and liking for bitter vegetables

Phenylthiocarbamide (PTC) sensitivity, a sensory trait mediated by the bitter taste receptor 38 (TAS2R38), has been described as a promising biomarker of health status or disease risk. The aim of this cross-sectional study was to evaluate the influence of PTC phenotypes on (1) individual anthropometric and clinical history variables; (2) other basic taste recognition thresholds (RTs), and (3) the hedonic perception and habitual intake of Brassicaceae vegetables in a young adult population (18.9 ± 1.7 years old). The PTC phenotype was determined by the quantitative measure of the PTC recognition threshold (non-tasters, 24.1%; tasters, 52.3%; and super tasters, 23.6%). No significant differences in smoking habits, oral and nasal disorders, family antecedents of diseases related to metabolic syndrome, and Brassicaceae vegetable hedonic perception and consumption were found between the PTC phenotype groups. The average BMI of super-taster females and males was significantly lower compared to non-tasters. In addition, the PTC taster status was a predictor of lower scores for other basic taste RTs. Overall, the defined PTC super-taster cohort could be differentiated from the non-tasters by variables related to weight control such as BMI and sucrose RT.

Comparing the difference in enhancement of kokumi-tasting γ-glutamyl peptides on basic taste via molecular modeling approaches and sensory evaluation

γ-Glutamyl peptides can enhance basic taste sensations such as saltiness, sweetness, and umaminess, while the molecular mechanism and the difference in taste enhancement remain elusive. Thus, two complex conformations: taste type 1 receptor 1 (T1R1)-MSG and taste type 1 receptor 2 (T1R2)-sucrose were constructed to form binding receptors. These peptides showed affinity for the two receptors, but a higher affinity scores and more binding amino acid residues for the T1R1-MSG receptor, implying that they may exhibit a higher umami-enhancing effect. Thereinto, γ-glutamyl alanine (γ-EA) displayed the highest affinity for the two receptors through mobilizing multiple amino acid residues to form hydrophobic and hydrogen bonds, indicating it had the highest enhancement for umaminess and sweetness among these peptides. Sensory evaluation demonstrated the enhancement of γ-EA on umaminess was superior to that of sweetness. Generally, γ-glutamyl peptides could enhance basic taste sensation via activating taste receptor, and exhibited a highest umami-enhancing effect.

Impact of gastroplasty on salivary characteristics, dental health status and oral sensory aspects: A controlled clinical study.

Saliva is a non-invasive source of biomarkers useful in the study of different pathophysiological conditions. The qualitative and quantitative study of saliva, as well as the assessment of oral health, can be particularly useful for a better understanding of obesity due to its importance in the food oral perception and ingestion. To evaluate the effect of treatment of morbid obesity (dietary counselling versus gastroplasty) on salivary characteristics, oral sensory perception and dental health in a controlled study. Seventy-three adults (60 females; 19-59 years) with morbid obesity were divided in: Control group (CG; n= 34) followed-up during a 6-months dietary programme, and Gastroplasty group (GG; n= 39) evaluated immediately before, 3 and 6months after gastroplasty. Dietary habits, Oral Health Impact Profile and xerostomia complaints were investigated by interview. The clinical examination included anthropometric and caries experience evaluation. Salivary flow rate, buffering capacity, total protein and alpha-amylase levels, and sensitivity for the four basic tastes were assessed. Two-way mixed model and sign test were applied. Physical and clinical aspects did not differ between groups in the beginning of the study, and GG showed a rapid weight loss after surgery (p< .001). An improvement in most of the dietary aspects was observed, especially in the GG. A worsening in the dental health status was observed over time in both groups, with an increase in the number of filled and decayed teeth. CG showed a better oral health-related quality of life, while xerostomia complains increased in GG after gastroplasty. Salivary flow rate remained stable in both groups, but a decrease in buffering capacity, total protein and alpha-amylase activity was observed in GG after 6-months; taste sensitivity increased from baseline to 6-months in GG (p< .05). After 6-months of follow-up, patients undergoing gastroplasty presented an improvement in dietary habits and taste sensitivity. However, changes in saliva composition and a worsening in dental health status and xerostomia complaints were also observed.

Sleeve Gastrectomy-Induced Body Mass Index Reduction Increases the Intensity of Taste Perception's and Reduces Bitter-Induced Pleasantness in Severe Obesity.

Background: The sense of taste is involved in food behavior and may drive food choices, likely contributing to obesity. Differences in taste preferences have been reported in normal-weight as compared to obese subjects. Changes in taste perception with an increased sweet-induced sensitivity have been reported in surgically treated obese patients, but data regarding the perception of basic tastes yielded conflicting results. We aimed to evaluate basic taste identification, induced perception, and pleasantness in normal-weight controls and obese subjects before and after bariatric surgery. Methods: Severe obese and matched normal weight subjects underwent a standardized spit test to evaluate sweet, bitter, salty, umami, and sour taste identification, induced perception, and pleasantness. A subset of obese subjects were also studied before and 12 months after sleeve gastrectomy. Results: No significant differences in basic taste-induced perceptions were observed, although a higher number of controls correctly identified umami than did obese subjects. Sleeve-gastrectomy-induced weight loss did not affect the overall ability to correctly identify basic tastes but was associated with a significant increase in taste intensities, with higher scores for sour and bitter, and a significantly reduced bitter-induced pleasantness. Conclusions: The perception of basic tastes is similar in normal-weight and severely obese subjects. Sleeve-gastrectomy-induced weight loss significantly increases basic taste-induced intensity, and selectively reduces bitter-related pleasantness without affecting the ability to identify the tastes. Our findings reveal that taste perception is influenced by body mass index changes, likely supporting the hypothesis that centrally mediated mechanisms modulate taste perception in severe obesity.

A novel quantified palatability evaluation method (saliva evaluation combined with electronic tongue evaluation) for Traditional Chinese Medicine oral formulations based on oral stimulation

This study investigates the usefulness of saliva determination for the palatability evaluation of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) oral formulations as a complement to the electronic tongue (E-tongue) method. In this study, the response threshold and intensity of saliva amount evaluation method on different concentration of five taste standard substances was verified with the human sense and E-tongue sense. Fifty-eight kinds of TCM oral formulations and basic taste substances were utilized to assess the applicability of the novel method, which compared with the results of E-tongue evaluation. According to the PCA map, the oral stimulation of TCM oral formulations were divided into three groups (Group 1: SM < 0.05; Group 2: SM = 0.05; Group 3: SM > 0.05). In this study, the results of PLS revealed that the responses of E-tongue sensors could be characterized 71.9% of the SM information (R2 = 71.9%). These showed that the taste stimulation of TCM had certain influence in SM. And the sensors of CA, JE, GA, and HA were critical parameters on palatability evaluation of TCM oral formulations. In conclusion, SM can be used to characterize the chemical and mechanical senses of TCM oral formulation. And it can be predicted the palatability of TCM according to the classification results of E-tongue.

Significant correlation between taste dysfunction and HbA1C level and blood sugar fasting level in type 2 diabetes mellitus patients in at a tertiary care center in north India

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) effect quality of life very much and causes various complications. Diabetic autonomic neuropathy (DAN) is one of the common complications in diabetes. The taste threshold affected by various factors such as age, ethnic backgrounds, drugs, local and systemic diseases, consumption of alcohol, smoking, and tobacco chewing. The present study is undertaken with the objectives to compare the alteration in taste threshold for four primary sensations in Type 2 DM with autonomic neuropathy. 60 patients of T2DM with autonomic neuropathy and 60 healthy controls were taken for the study. Autonomic neuropathy was assessed clinically. Chemical taste test using four solutions of basic tastes (sweet, sour, salty, bitter) were done. Taste dysfunction for sweet was significant in T2DM with uncontrolled hyperglycemia. The taste dysfunction in T2DM patients was not related to gender, disease duration, and type of treatment taken. The study found a significant correlation between taste dysfunction, HbA1C level and blood sugar fasting level in T2DM patients. The taste dysfunction was mainly for sweet. Sour and bitter did not show any difference in case groups compared to controls.

Umami polypeptide detection system targeting the human T1R1 receptor and its taste-presenting mechanism

Umami is one of five basic tastes, the elucidation of its mechanism by the study of the interaction between umami polypeptides and hT1R1 umami receptors is of great significance. However, research on umami peptides targeting human T1R1 receptors is lacking, and the molecular mechanism remains elusive. Here, we successfully established a system to detect umami peptides targeting human T1R1 receptors by fluorescence spectroscopy, Surface Plasmon Resonance (SPR) and computational simulation. The sensory evaluation, calculated Kd value, and experimental affinity results between the four selected umami peptides (GRVSNCAA, KGDEESLA, KGGGGP, and TGDPEK) and glutamate were tested using this system, and all matched well. The maximum Ka value of GRVSNCAA was 479.55 M-1, and the minimum affinity of TGDPEK was 2.67 M-1. Computational simulations showed that the different peptide binding sites in the hT1R1 binding pocket occupied due to conformational changes are important factors for different taste thresholds, and that peptide hydrophobicity plays an important role in regulating affinity. Thus, our study enables rapid screening of high-intensity umami peptides and the development of T1R1 receptor-based umami detection sensors.

Perceptive mechanism and sensory characteristics of kokumi substances

<h2>Abstract</h2> Some foods are known to have flavors such as complexity, mouthfulness and continuity that cannot be explained by the five basic tastes alone. Previously, the compounds responsible for such flavoring effect of garlic extract has been investigated, and sulfur-containing compounds including glutathione were found to be responsible for this effect, although they are tasteless at the concentration tested. Substances with these properties were proposed to be referred to as <i>kokumi</i> substances. From that glutathione was one of the agonists of the calcium-sensing receptor (CaSR), it was hypothesized that CaSR was involved in the perception of <i>kokumi</i> substances. From the results as [1] all CaSR agonists have a property of <i>kokumi</i> substance, [2] the sensory effect of <i>kokumi</i> peptides eliminated by a CaSR specific antagonist, [3] the CaSR activity of γ-glutamyl peptides positively correlated to sensory activity as <i>kokumi</i> substance, CaSR was suggested to be involved in the perception of <i>kokumi</i> substances. Among the γ-glutamyl peptides tested, γ-Glu-Val-Gly was found be as potent <i>kokumi</i> substance. γ-Glu-Val-Gly enhanced the intensity of mouthfulness, and continuity when added to chicken consommé and reduced-fat peanut butter. These results suggest that γ-Glu-Val-Gly is a potent <i>kokumi</i> peptide and would be useful for improving the flavor of food.

23-LB: A Study of Taste among Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Patients with Autonomic Neuropathy at a Tertiary Care Centre in North India

Introduction: Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a multifactorial, complex disease associated with chronic hyperglycemia, resulting from the interplay of genetic, environmental, and epigenetic factors (1) . Diabetic autonomic neuropathy (DAN) is one of the common complication in diabetes. The taste threshold affected by various factors such as age, ethnic backgrounds, drugs, local and systemic diseases, consumption of alcohol, smoking, and tobacco chewing . The present study is undertaken with the objectives to compare the alteration in taste threshold for four primary sensations in Type 2 DM with autonomic neuropathy. Material and methods: 60 patients of T2DM with autonomic neuropathy and 60 healthy control were taken for the study. Autonomic neuropathy were assessed clinically. Chemical taste test using four solutions of basic tastes (sweet, sour, salty, bitter) were done. 5 ml sample of each solution was provided whose nature was kept unknown to the subject and asked to hold it there for 5 seconds before spitting the solution into the cup. Result: Out of 60 patients 26 (43.3%) were having taste dysfunction for sweet compared to 12 (20%) out of 60 healthy controls with p value 0.006. Taste dysfunction for sweet was significant in T2DM with uncontrolled hyperglycemia i.e mean HbA1c 10.83+/- 3.17 whereas in T2DM patients whose taste were preserved had mean HbA1c 8.05+/- 1.87 . The taste dysfunction in T2DM patients was not related to gender, disease duration, and type of treatment taken. Conclusion: The study found a significant correlation between taste dysfunction, HbA1C level and blood sugar fasting level in T2DM patients. The taste dysfunction was mainly for sweet. Sour and bitter did not show any difference in case groups compared to controls. Disclosure J. Kushwaha: None. A. Singh: None. R. Giri: None. V. K. Gupta: None.

Taste Attributes of the “June Hairy Crab” Juveniles of Chinese Mitten Crab (Eriocheir sinensis) in Yangcheng Lake, China—A Pilot Study

This is the first report on the use of a taste sensing system to quantitatively evaluate the taste attributes of two groups of native “June hairy crab” juveniles (commonly referred to as “Liu-Yue-Huang”) of the Chinese mitten crab (Eriocheir Sinensis H. Milne Edwards, 1853) from a net enclosure culture area in Yangcheng Lake (lake culture) and aquaculture ponds near the lake (pond culture). We showed that umami was the predominant basic taste of steamed June hairy crabs, followed by bitterness and astringency. The intensity value of saltiness was aberrant and could not be determined using this system. The average values of aftertaste-U reached 8.7 and 10.7 in the male June hairy crabs from the lake and pond cultures, respectively, which was significantly higher than their respective aftertaste-B and aftertaste-A values (p &lt; 0.01). Female crabs did not have aftertaste-B, while their aftertaste-U was significantly higher than aftertaste-A (p &lt; 0.01). Although principal component analysis and linear discriminant analysis were not able to completely distinguish among crabs from different cultures, they could robustly distinguish between male and female crabs.

Sautéing and roasting effect on free amino acid profiles in portobello and shiitake mushrooms, and the effect of mushroom- and cooking-related volatile aroma compounds on meaty flavor enhancement

Using mushroom to enhance meaty flavor is a common culinary practice; however, nutrition and taste studies associated with amino acid changes during mushroom cooking are limited, and mushroom aroma's enhancement of meaty flavor has not been verified. This study aimed to 1) investigate free amino acid profile changes in raw, sautéed, and roasted portobello and shiitake, and 2) investigate if certain volatiles from mushroom culinary preparation could increase meaty flavor. A total of 23 amino acids, including all 9 essential, were quantified using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and high-performance liquid chromatography. Both cooking methods caused significant (p ≤ 0.05) free amino acid loss, while mushroom variety significantly impacted most amino acid contents. The following 8 solutions were served to 82 participants: a blank (basic taste ingredients), a control (blank with meaty flavor), and three aroma blocks (control with mushroom-like, roasted, and grilled flavors) at two intensity levels. The control solution showed significantly higher umami taste than the blank. Compared to the control and blank, the grilled aroma significantly increased meaty flavor intensity and acceptance, overall acceptance, and umami taste; while the roasted and mushroom-like aroma blocks did not show meaty flavor enhancement. Meaty flavor was mainly driven by salty, umami, and sweet tastes as well as thickness mouthfeel. This study demonstrates how culinary application impacts free amino acid content in mushroom and how meaty flavor can be enhanced by aroma compounds derived from non-animal sources.