Sweet Taste Perception Research Articles

Sweet taste perception is greater in non-Hispanic black than in non-Hispanic white adults.

Research suggests a difference in sweet taste perception between non-Hispanic black (NHB) and non-Hispanic white (NHW) adults; however, limited research has examined sweet taste perception in relation to the dietary intake of sweet products. The aim of this study was to examine sweet taste perception and the consumption of sweet foods, beverages, and sugar in NHB and NHW adults, and to evaluate whether sweet taste perception is associated with dietary intake. This cross-sectional study examined the association between race, sweet taste perception and sweet food, beverages, and sugar consumption in healthy, NHB and NHW adults. Seven day food records were analyzed in Nutrition Data System for Research software. Intensity of sweet taste perception was tested and the general labeled magnitude scale method was used to facilitate group comparisons. Independent t tests, Mann-Whitney tests, and Pearson correlations were used to assess associations. Participants were NHB (n = 98) and NHW (n = 90) adults, 41 ± 1 y of age (mean ± SEM) with energy intake of 2271 ± 53 kcal. Body mass index was higher in NHBs than in NHWs (36 ± 1 versus 32 ± 1 kg/m2, P = 0.048), but no differences were observed in age, energy consumption, or total sugar intake. Sweet taste perception rating (median [interquartile range] NHB: 73.5 [63.9-83], NHW: 52.1 [46.4-57.7]; P = 0.001) and added sugar intake (NHB: 39.4 g/1000 kcal [36.3-42.4], NHW: 30 g/1000 kcal [26.7-33.4]; P < 0.001) were greater in NHB. Perceived sweet taste intensity was positively associated with consumption of servings of sweet products among NHBs (R2 = 0.057, P = 0.018) but not NHWs (R2 = -0.012, P = 0.314). NHBs have a higher intensity of sweet taste perception than NHWs. The positive association of sweet taste perception and sweet product consumption in NHBs suggests that a higher intensity of sweet taste perception may be associated with an increased proportion of energy consumption from added sugars.

Invited review: Sugar reduction in dairy products

Sugar overconsumption continues to increase worldwide and contributes to multiple health-related issues. Dairy foods represent a large market, grossing more than $125 billion per year worldwide. Consumer demands for healthier products are leading to a large push for sugar reduction in dairy foods. Sugar plays an important role in dairy foods, not only in flavor but also in texture, color, and viscosity. Replacing sugar can have negative effects, making substitution inherently difficult. Natural and artificial nonnutritive sweeteners exist for sugar reduction. Natural nonnutritive sweeteners are popular, particularly for label appeal, but many consumers still prefer the taste of artificial nonnutritive sweeteners. Sweet taste perception can also be affected by texture of the food matrix and the presence of fat. Other sugar reduction techniques include hydrolysis of lactose, ultrafiltration, and direct reduction. This review will address the role of sugar, alternative sweeteners, and sugar reduction in ice cream, yogurt, and flavored milk.

The sweet taste signalling pathways in the oral cavity and the gastrointestinal tract affect human appetite and food intake: a review

Sweet taste is associated with food reward and energy source in the form of carbohydrate. Excessive sweet consumption is blamed for the prevalence of obesity. However, evidence for the potential of sweet taste to influence food intake and bodyweight regulation in humans remains unclear. The purpose of this review was to examine the physiological responses relevant to sweet taste mechanisms and the impact on appetite control. The literature was examined for studies that assessed the effects of non-nutritive sweeteners and natural sugars on hormonal secretions and neural activations via oral and gastrointestinal pathways. The findings indicated that a network of sweet taste signalling pathways in the oral cavity and the gut seem to mediate hormonal responses and some metabolism differences in neural circus that orchestrating the hunger-satiety cycle. Individual variations of sweet taste perception which is modulated by hormonal and genetic factors have been associated with dietary nutrient and sugar consumption.

Experiencing Sweet Taste Affects Romantic Semantic Processing

Studies have found that the perception of sweet taste can affect attitudes towards others, and promote the evaluation of intimate relationships. However, the effect of sweetness perception on romantic semantic processing remains unclear. The current study was to investigate whether the experiencing of sweet taste affects the processing of romantic words. Participants were randomly assigned to sweet taste and tasteless conditions, in which they performed a lexical decision task. The results showed the romantic advantage effect that participants in sweet taste condition processed romantic words more rapidly than processing non-romantic words. No gender difference was found on size of romantic advantage effect in sweet taste condition. These results support the embodied cognition hypothesis of romantic semantic processing.

Variation in thermally induced taste response across thermal tasters

Thermal tasters (TTs) perceive thermally induced taste (thermal taste) sensations when the tongue is stimulated with temperature in the absence of gustatory stimuli, while thermal non tasters (TnTs) only perceive temperature. This is the first study to explore detailed differences in thermal taste responses across TTs. Using thermal taster status phenotyping, 37 TTs were recruited, and the temporal characteristics of thermal taste responses collected during repeat exposure to temperature stimulation. Phenotyping found sweet most frequently reported during warming stimulation, and bitter and sour when cooling, but a range of other sensations were stated. The taste quality, intensity, and number of tastes reported greatly varied. Furthermore, the temperature range when thermal taste was perceived differed across TTs and taste qualities, with some TTs perceiving a taste for a small temperature range, and others the whole trial. The onset of thermal sweet taste ranged between 22 and 38°C during temperature increase. This supports the hypothesis that TRPM5 may be involved in thermal sweet taste perception as TRPM5 is temperature activated between 15 and 35°C, and involved in sweet taste transduction. These findings also raised questions concerning the phenotyping protocol and classification currently used, thus indicating the need to review practices for future testing. This study has highlighted the hitherto unknown variation that exists in thermal taste response across TTs, provides some insights into possible mechanisms, and importantly emphasises the need for more research into this sensory phenomenon.

Gustatory Function in Patients With Chronic Rhinosinusitis.

Recent research has shown that taste receptors in airway epithelial cells are involved in defending against upper respiratory tract infection. The aim of the present study was to investigate gustatory function in patients with chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS). Taste function was assessed using the extended "taste strip" test in 37 patients with CRS (20 males, 17 females; mean age = 32.1 years; range, 20-82 years) and 135 healthy controls (70 males, 65 females; mean age = 29.5 years; range, 18-84 years). The mean (±SD) total extended taste score was 12.8 (±3.5) in patients and 14.5 (±3.2) in controls. Analysis of variance indicated an interaction of sinusitis and gender ( P < .05) with significantly lower total scores and significantly poorer results for the bitter taste among male patients compared to controls ( P < .01). In addition, CRS patients exhibited a trend toward decreased sweet taste perception compared to controls, but this did not reach significance ( P = .051). Patients with CRS exhibited decreased gustatory function compared to healthy controls. The effect was most pronounced for bitter taste. Thus, the assessment of gustatory function seems to be useful for detecting potential risk factors for recurrent upper respiratory tract infection.

Study on the Sweet Taste Perception, Perception of Sugar Reduction, and Utilization of Nutrition Labeling according to the Awareness of the Self-perceived Sugar Intake Reduction of University Students in Chungbuk Area

Study on the Sweet Taste Perception, Perception of Sugar Reduction, and Utilization of Nutrition Labeling according to the Awareness of the Self-perceived Sugar Intake Reduction of University Students in Chungbuk Area

A novel functional screening assay to monitor sweet taste receptor activation in vitro

AbstractThe human sweet taste receptor is a heterodimer comprised of the class C G protein‐coupled receptor (GPCR) subunits TAS1R2 and TAS1R3. A wide collection of sweet tasting compounds and modulators of sweet taste interact with this receptor. Although TAS1R2/TAS1R3‐mediated signaling is well‐studied, the molecular basis for its desensitization remains unclear while such knowledge would signify a profound step forward in understanding the mechanism behind sweet taste perception and taste modulation. In this work, the possible involvement of β‐arrestin in downstream signaling was investigated. A stable clonal Human Embryonic Kidney (HEK)‐derived cell line containing the PathHunter™ GPCR technology was developed, in which β‐arrestin‐mediated endosomal receptor internalization can be monitored by ligand‐induced enzyme complementation of β‐galactosidase (β‐gal). Stimulatory responses and antibody‐specific receptor detection indicated that the TAS1R2/TAS1R3 receptor is endogenously expressed in this clonal cell line. Natural sugars (including fructose, glucose, sucrose, maltose, maltitol and mannitol) and artificial sweeteners (acesulfame‐K and sucralose) stimulated enzyme complementation activity in a concentration dependent manner. Besides, we observed that the assay detected modification of sugar induced cell responses by sweetness enhancers. These results combined implicate that TAS1R2/TAS1R3 receptor desensitization by internalization is most likely mediated by β‐arrestin‐induced endocytosis. This assay approach, making use of naturally expressed TAS1R2/TAS1R3 receptors and required co‐factors, further allows effective screening for and development of novel high potency non‐caloric sweeteners, sweet taste modulators or optimal blends with enhanced sweet taste.

Role of Endocannabinoids on Sweet Taste Perception, Food Preference, and Obesity-related Disorders

The prevalence of obesity and obesity-related disorders such as type 2 diabetes (T2D) and metabolic syndrome has increased significantly in the past decades, reaching epidemic levels and therefore becoming a major health issue worldwide. Chronic overeating of highly palatable foods is one of the main responsible aspects behind overweight. Food choice is driven by food preference, which is influenced by environmental and internal factors, from availability to rewarding properties of food. Consequently, the acquisition of a dietary habit that may lead to metabolic alterations is the result of a learning process in which many variables take place. From genetics to socioeconomic status, the response to food and how this food affects energy metabolism is heavily influenced, even before birth. In this work, we review how food preference is acquired and established, particularly as regards sweet taste; towards which flavors and tastes we are positively predisposed by our genetic background, our early experience, further lifestyle, and our surroundings; and, especially, the role that the endocannabinoid system (ECS) plays in all of this. Ultimately, we try to summarize why this system is relevant for health purposes and how this is linked to important aspects of eating behavior, as its function as a modulator of energy homeostasis affects, and is affected by, physiological responses directly associated with obesity.

Sweet Taste Perception Is Greater In Black Than In White Adults

To understand the consequences of the associations between race and sweet taste perception.

Caffeine May Reduce Perceived Sweet Taste in Humans, Supporting Evidence That Adenosine Receptors Modulate Taste.

Multiple recent reports have detailed the presence of adenosine receptors in sweet sensitive taste cells of mice. These receptors are activated by endogenous adenosine in the plasma to enhance sweet signals within the taste bud, before reporting to the primary afferent. As we commonly consume caffeine, a powerful antagonist for such receptors, in our daily lives, an intriguing question we sought to answer was whether the caffeine we habitually consume in coffee can inhibit the perception of sweet taste in humans. 107 panelists were randomly assigned to 2 groups, sampling decaffeinated coffee supplemented with either 200 mg of caffeine, about the level found in a strong cup of coffee, or an equally bitter concentration of quinine. Participants subsequently performed sensory testing, with the session repeated in the alternative condition in a second session on a separate day. Panelists rated both the sweetened coffee itself and subsequent sucrose solutions as less sweet in the caffeine condition, despite the treatment having no effect on bitter, sour, salty, or umami perception. Panelists were also unable to discern whether they had consumed the caffeinated or noncaffeinated coffee, with ratings of alertness increased equally, but no significant improvement in reaction times, highlighting coffee's powerful placebo effect. This work validates earlier observations in rodents in a human population.

Sweet Taste Perception and Dental Caries in 13- to 15-Year-Olds: A Multicenter Cross-Sectional Study

Dietary habits and, in particular, the intake frequency of sucrose are of major importance for the development of dental caries. The perception of sweet taste is believed to have an influence on sucrose intake and therefore affects the predisposition to dental caries. The aim was to study the caries experience and sweet taste perception and to further analyze the possible relationship between the 2 tested variables in 13- to 15-year-old children from 3 different geographical areas. A cross-sectional survey comprising 669 children (220 Italian, 224 Mexican, and 225 Saudi Arabian) was conducted. The children were examined in their school setting. A sweet taste perception level was determined by the sweet taste threshold (TT) and sweet taste preference (TP). The sweet test was performed with sucrose solutions varying in concentration from 1.63 to 821.52 g/L. The International Caries Detection and Assessment System (ICDAS) and DMFS indices were used to diagnose caries. The highest mean value for TT was found for Italian children followed by Saudi and Mexican. Saudi schoolchildren showed the highest mean values for TP and DMFS, followed by Italian and Mexican. A statistically significant difference for TP, TT, DMFS, and initial caries was found between the 3 countries. A weak yet positive correlation was found between taste perception (TT and TP) versus DMFS and manifest caries in all 3 countries (r = 0.137-0.313). The findings of the present study showed a variation in sweet taste perception between the 3 countries, which may influence the caries outcome of the children in the individual countries.

Is Sweet Taste Perception Associated with Sweet Food Liking and Intake?

A range of psychophysical taste measurements are used to characterize an individual’s sweet taste perception and to assess links between taste perception and dietary intake. The aims of this study were to investigate the relationship between four different psychophysical measurements of sweet taste perception, and to explore which measures of sweet taste perception relate to sweet food intake. Forty-four women aged 20–40 years were recruited for the study. Four measures of sweet taste perception (detection and recognition thresholds, and sweet taste intensity and hedonic liking of suprathreshold concentrations) were assessed using glucose as the tastant. Dietary measurements included a four-day weighed food record, a sweet food-food frequency questionnaire and a sweet beverage liking questionnaire. Glucose detection and recognition thresholds showed no correlation with suprathreshold taste measurements or any dietary intake measurement. Importantly, sweet taste intensity correlated negatively with total energy and carbohydrate (starch, total sugar, fructose, glucose) intakes, frequency of sweet food intake and sweet beverage liking. Furthermore, sweet hedonic liking correlated positively with total energy and carbohydrate (total sugar, fructose, glucose) intakes. The present study shows a clear link between sweet taste intensity and hedonic liking with sweet food liking, and total energy, carbohydrate and sugar intake.

Altered learning, memory, and social behavior in type 1 taste receptor subunit 3 knock-out mice are associated with neuronal dysfunction

The type 1 taste receptor member 3 (T1R3) is a G protein-coupled receptor involved in sweet-taste perception. Besides the tongue, the T1R3 receptor is highly expressed in brain areas implicated in cognition, including the hippocampus and cortex. As cognitive decline is often preceded by significant metabolic or endocrinological dysfunctions regulated by the sweet-taste perception system, we hypothesized that a disruption of the sweet-taste perception in the brain could have a key role in the development of cognitive dysfunction. To assess the importance of the sweet-taste receptors in the brain, we conducted transcriptomic and proteomic analyses of cortical and hippocampal tissues isolated from T1R3 knock-out (T1R3KO) mice. The effect of an impaired sweet-taste perception system on cognition functions were examined by analyzing synaptic integrity and performing animal behavior on T1R3KO mice. Although T1R3KO mice did not present a metabolically disrupted phenotype, bioinformatic interpretation of the high-dimensionality data indicated a strong neurodegenerative signature associated with significant alterations in pathways involved in neuritogenesis, dendritic growth, and synaptogenesis. Furthermore, a significantly reduced dendritic spine density was observed in T1R3KO mice together with alterations in learning and memory functions as well as sociability deficits. Taken together our data suggest that the sweet-taste receptor system plays an important neurotrophic role in the extralingual central nervous tissue that underpins synaptic function, memory acquisition, and social behavior.

Dynamic and static sensory methods to study the role of aroma on taste and texture: A multisensory approach to apple perception

To date very little research has been done on sensory interaction taking into account the temporal component. The objectives of this work were to better understand the influence of aroma perception on taste and texture perception in a real food matrix such as the apple, considering sensory perception both as a static and dynamic process. Another objective was to evaluate the suitability of Temporal Dominance of Sensations (TDS) for studying sensory interaction.A set of 9 apple samples, made up of apple discs modified with two distinct aromas (3-methylbutyl acetate and (E)-3-hexen-1-ol) and/or two tastants (fructose and dl-malic acid), was used for the experiment. Samples were analysed by Descriptive Analysis (DA) and TDS performed by two different panels. Samples were also analysed using instrumental measurement of texture, sugar and volatile content.Aroma addition modified perception of the apple in both a static and dynamic way. Some texture-aroma and taste-aroma interaction were highlighted. TDS showed that both aromas made perception of hardness and juiciness less dominant. In some cases, banana aroma modified sweet taste perception and when used without tastants, it tended to anticipate sweetness perception in time. DA evidenced different results: both aromas decreased crunchiness or flouriness intensities when used alone or with fructose respectively. They increased juiciness intensity when combined with malic acid.TDS confirmed well-known relations between taste and smell and showed its appropriateness for studying sensory interaction. Its combination with DA gathered complementary points of view enriching the analysis and revealing unexpected or time-related interaction, a new perspective for understanding the phenomena linked to perception.

Taste loss in the elderly: Possible implications for dietary habits

ABSTRACTAging may coincide with a declining gustatory function that can affect dietary intake and ultimately have negative health consequences. Taste loss is caused by physiological changes and worsened by events often associated with aging, such as polypharmacy and chronic disease. The most pronounced increase in elderly people's detection threshold has been observed for sour and bitter tastes, but their perception of salty, sweet, and umami tastes also seems to decline with age. It has often been suggested that elderly people who lose their sense of taste may eat less food or choose stronger flavors, but the literature has revealed a more complicated picture: taste loss does not appear to make elderly people prefer stronger flavors, but nutrition surveys have pointed to a greater consumption of sweet and salty foods.Real-life eating habits thus seem to be more influenced by other, social and psychological factors. Elderly gustatory function is worth investigating to identify dietary strategies that can prevent the consequences of unhealthy eating habits in the elderly.This paper discusses age-related changes in taste perception, focusing on their consequences on food preferences, and pointing to some strategies for preserving appropriate dietary habits in elderly people.

Participants with pharmacologically impaired taste function seek out more intense, higher calorie stimuli

ObjectiveResearch suggests a weaker sense of taste in people with obesity, with the assumption that a debilitated taste response increases the desire for more intensely tasting stimuli to compensate for decreased taste input. However, empirical testing of this supposition remains largely absent. MethodIn a randomized, repeated measures design, 51 healthy subjects were treated with varying concentrations of a tea containing Gymnema sylvestre (GS), to temporarily and selectively diminish sweet taste perception, or a control tea. Following treatment in the four testing sessions, taste intensity ratings for various sweet stimuli were captured on the generalized Labeled Magnitude Scale (gLMS), liking for real foods assessed on the hedonic gLMS, and optimal level of sweetness quantified via an ad-libitum mixing task. Data were analyzed with mixed models assessing both treatment condition and each subject's resultant sweet response with various taste-related outcomes, controlling for covariates. ResultsGS treatment diminished sweet intensity perception (p < 0.001), reduced liking for sweet foods (p < 0.001), and increased the desired sucrose content of these foods (p < 0.001). Regression modeling revealed a 1% reduction in sweet taste response was associated with a 0.40 g/L increase in optimal concentration of sucrose (p < 0.001). DiscussionOur results show that an attenuation in the perceived taste intensity of sweeteners correlates with shifted preference and altered hedonic response to select sweet foods. This suggests that those with a diminished sense of taste may desire more intense stimuli to attain a satisfactory level of reward, potentially influencing eating habits to compensate for a lower gustatory input.

Taste sensitivity to sucrose is lower in outbred Sprague-Dawley phenotypic obesity-prone rats than obesity-resistant rats

The purpose of the present study was to better understand the role of sweet taste perception in dietary behavior and body weight in outbred Sprague-Dawley phenotypic obesity-prone and obesity-resistant rats by measuring sucrose taste sensitivity using a conditioned taste aversion paradigm. Rats were given a high fat diet for 2 weeks and were assigned as obesity-prone (P, upper tertile) or obesity-resistant (R, lower tertile) based on weight gain. Each group was then given either chow (C, 10% fat) or the high fat diet (F, 46% fat) for the remainder of the experiment (∼18 weeks) such that there were four groups - obesity-prone on chow (C-P), obesity-prone on high fat (H-P), obesity-resistant on chow (C-R), obesity-resistant on high fat (H-R). The sucrose sensitivity of phenotypic obesity-prone rats is lower than that of obesity-resistant rats in either H-fed or C-fed group, and all H-fed rats were more sensitivity than their C-fed counterparts (H-P vs. C-P; H-R vs. C-R). Body weight gain and total calories intake of phenotypic obesity-prone rats are more than that of obesity-resistant rats. The results suggest that lower sucrose taste sensitivity may contribute to body weight gain and total calories intake of phenotypic obesity-prone rats compared to obesity-resistant rats, and there is correlation between the change in the sweet taste threshold and diet treatment.

Sweeteners and sweetness enhancers.

The current review summarizes and discusses current knowledge on sweeteners and sweetness enhancers. The perception of sweet taste is mediated by the type 1 taste receptor 2 (T1R2)/type 1 taste receptor 3 (T1R3) receptor, which is expressed in the oral cavity, where it provides input on the caloric and macronutrient contents of ingested food. This receptor recognizes all the compounds (natural or artificial) perceived as sweet by people. Sweeteners are highly chemically diverse including natural sugars, sugar alcohols, natural and synthetic sweeteners, and sweet-tasting proteins. This single receptor is also the target for developing novel sweet enhancers. Importantly, the expression of a functional T1R2/T1R3 receptor is described in numerous extraoral tissues. In this review, the physiological impact of sweeteners is discussed. Sweeteners and sweetness enhancers are perceived through the T1R2/T1R3 taste receptor present both in mouth and numerous extraoral tissues. The accumulated knowledge on sugar substitutes raises the issue of potential health effects.

Steviol glycosides enhance pancreatic beta-cell function and taste sensation by potentiation of TRPM5 channel activity

Steviol glycosides (SGs), such as stevioside and rebaudioside A, are natural, non-caloric sweet-tasting organic molecules, present in extracts of the scrub plant Stevia rebaudiana, which are widely used as sweeteners in consumer foods and beverages. TRPM5 is a Ca2+-activated cation channel expressed in type II taste receptor cells and pancreatic β-cells. Here we show that stevioside, rebaudioside A and their aglycon steviol potentiate the activity of TRPM5. We find that SGs potentiate perception of bitter, sweet and umami taste, and enhance glucose-induced insulin secretion in a Trpm5-dependent manner. Daily consumption of stevioside prevents development of high-fat-diet-induced diabetic hyperglycaemia in wild-type mice, but not in Trpm5−/− mice. These results elucidate a molecular mechanism of action of SGs and identify TRPM5 as a potential target to prevent and treat type 2 diabetes.