Salty Taste Research Articles

Resin-Loaded Heterogeneous Polyether Sulfone Ion Exchange Membranes for Saline Groundwater Treatment.

Arid areas often contain brackish groundwater that has a salinity exceeding 500 mg/L. This poses several challenges to the users of the water such as a salty taste and damage to household appliances. Desalination can be one of the key solutions to significantly lower the salinity and solute content of the water. However, the technology requires high energy inputs as well as managing waste products. This paper presents the fabrication of ultrafiltration heterogeneous ion exchange membranes for brackish groundwater treatment. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images showed a relatively uniform resin particle distribution within the polymer matrix. The mean roughness of the cation exchange membrane (CEM) and anion exchange membrane (AEM) surfaces increased from 42.12 to 317.25 and 68.56 to 295.95 nm, respectively, when resin loading was increased from 1 to 3.5 wt %. Contact angle measures suggested a more hydrophilic surface (86.13 to 76.26° and 88.10 to 74.47° for CEM and AEM, respectively) was achieved with greater resin loading rates. The ion exchange capacity (IEC) of the prepared membranes was assessed using synthetic groundwater in a dead-end filtration system and removal efficiency of K+, Mg2+, and Ca2+ were 56.0, 93.5, and 85.4%, respectively, for CEM with the highest resin loading. Additionally, the anion, NO3− and SO42− removal efficiency was 84.2% and 52.4%, respectively, for the AEM with the highest resin loading. This work demonstrates that the prepared ultrafiltration heterogeneous ion exchange membranes have potential for selective removal for of ions by ion exchange, under filtration conditions at low pressure of 0.05 MPa.

Influence of obesity on saltiness and sweetness intensity enhancement by odors

Some odors have a taste dimension likely due to repeated experiences in food with tastes. These odors can significantly enhance the related taste perception; this phenomenon is called Odor-Induced Taste Enhancement (OITE). The study aimed to determine odor-induced taste enhancement (OITE) differences between obese (OB) and normal-weight (NW) people. We hypothesized that OB would perceive a higher sweet taste enhancement than NW. We also tested salty taste enhancement without an oriented hypothesis. 43 NW and 38 OB took part in ranking tasks and evaluated OITE in 13 sweet and 4 salty solutions. The sweet base solutions were apple juice (Aj), cocoa (Coc) and water. The odorants were vanillin, ethyl-vanillin, french vanilla, two lychee odorants, and furaneol. The salty base solutions were a green-pea soup and water, and the odorants were smoky bacon smoked garlic odorants. Each ranking was performed with 4 solutions, 3 with an increasing concentration of salt/sugar, and the fourth contained the lower sugar/salt concentration and one odorant. Participants ranked the four solutions from lowest to highest sweetness/saltiness intensity. As a main result, the OB group perceived OITE more often than NW. The maximum sweetness and saltiness enhancements were observed in OB with vanillin in apple juice and bacon in salty water. Our results also demonstrated that the ranking task efficiently assesses OITE and highlights subtle differences between groups and solutions.

Reducing Sodium Content in Cheeses While Increasing Salty Taste and Fat Perception Using Aroma.

Excess salt (NaCl) and fat intake are major causes of chronic diseases, but reducing such components without affecting acceptability is a major challenge. Here, we set out to examine whether added aroma in lower salt cheese can enhance saltiness and fat perception. Low-salt cheese samples were grated through a homogenizer, and then aroma solution, sardine aroma (salt-associated), butter aroma (fat-associated) and a mix of sardine and butter aromas were added. The results confirmed that grating changes cheese texture, leading to induced taste perception. In addition, a significant saltiness enhancement was induced by sardine aroma and to a lesser extent by butter aroma, while significant fat perception enhancement was only induced by blended aroma. These findings show that aroma addition can be a strategy to compensate for sodium reduction in commercial cheese. Concerning fat perception, the addition of aroma can be a good strategy to compensate for low-fat in commercial cheeses. However, the mechanisms involved seem complex and need to be elucidated.

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.

New wave of flavours – On new ways of developing and processing seaweed flavours

Seaweeds have a naturally salty taste owing to their high content of minerals like potassium, besides sodium, which can be utilised as a healthy sodium replacer in food. In addition, some seaweeds contain a range of potential flavour components which can be released by mild processing and used to naturally enhance the flavour of food. In the present study, flavour ingredients from brown seaweed to use as a food component were developed. The work included enzymatic processing, by subsequently applying an alginase (Alg3) and Umamizyme to freeze dried and milled Ascophyllum nodosum and Saccharina latissima seaweed biomass. The chemical composition was determined by means of monosaccharide, polyphenol, and sodium content. Flavour profiles of the produced flavour extracts were evaluated by e-tongue and a cell assay, as well as by sensory panellists. The seaweed extracts were incorporated into food models and their sodium replacing and flavour enhancing properties were objectively evaluated by trained sensory panellists. The aim was to offer innovative processing solutions and new healthy flavour ingredients to meet salt reduction targets and flavour enhancing properties using seaweed. The results obtained flavour ingredients that are richer in umami and salty taste with the potential to replace sodium and create flavour enhancing ingredients for certain food products.

SIFAT ORGANOLEPTIK DAN KADAR AIR KUNING TELUR ASIN ITIK MAGELANG DENGAN PENAMBAHAN EKSTRAK KAYU SECANG (Caesalpinia sappan L.)

Eggs are high protein and fat livestock products which makes them easily damaged. One of methods to maintain egg quality are by processing them into salted eggs with the addition of Secang wood extract (Caesalpinia sappan L.) as a natural preservative. This study aims to utilize and determine the best concentration of Secang wood extract in increasing the organoleptic properties and reducing the water content of the salted egg yolk of Magelang duck. The method used was Completely Randomized Design (CRD) with 4 treatments of different concentrations of Secang wood extract (0; 2.27; 4.44; and 6.52%) and 5 replications. Each replication contains 4 Magelang duck eggs. Data collected were analyzed by means of variance (ANOVA) at a significance level of 5% and significant differences between treatments were analyzed by Duncan. The results showed that the addition of 4.44−6.52% Secang wood extract were significantly reduced the aroma to slightly fishy (2.82−2.83), but the addition of Secang wood extract 6.52% had no significant effect on the color, which was orange (2.97−3.21), slightly salty texture (2.86−3.23), flavorless salty taste (2.20−2.52), and has not been able to reduce the water content (29.39−34.60%) of salted egg yolk Magelang duck. The conclusion of this research is that the addition of Secang wood extract to a concentration of 6.52% can reduce the fishy aroma, but has not affected the color, texture, taste, and water content of the salted egg yolk of Magelang duck.
 Keywords : magelang duck salted egg, organoleptic test, secang wood extract, water content

Characterizations of Milkfish Sauce on Amino Acid Content with Variations in Addition of Salt and Pineapple Extract Concentration

Fish sauce is synonymous with salty taste and distinctive fish aroma. The good quality of fish sauce is supported by the amino acid content, proximate analysis and the assessment of the organoleptic preferences of the product by the panelists. This research aimed to determine the effect of increasing the concentration of pineapple extract on the organoleptic characteristics of fish sauce and the most abundant amino acid content in fish sauce and the best quality of fish sauce treatments. The research is based on randomized design of 4 days fermentation with salt : pineapple extract concentration ratio of 20%:5%, 20%:10%, 15%:15% and 25%:20% respectively. Research analysis such as amino acid content and proximate analysis were evaluated by the ANOVA test and DMRT test, while organoleptic test was evaluated by Kruskal Wallis test. The higher of the concentration of pineapple extract, the lower of amino acid content of the fish and the taste getting sourer. The best treatment for milkfish sauce was found in the treatment with salt concentration : pineapple extract = 15%:15% indicated by the highest amino acid content of glutamate, lysine and aspartate compared to other treatments, the highest protein content and water content and the best organoleptic assessment.

Z세대의 명란 소비 특성에 관한 연구:표적집단면접(FGI)을 중심으로

The purpose of this study is to analyze the consumption characteristics of cod roe in Generation Z. In this study, a total of 50 Generation Z people were interviewed by using focus group interview, which is a qualitative research method. In this focus group interview(FGI), it was found that Generation Z is a generation with very little experience in consuming salted pollock roe at home since childhood, and has a very low level of familiarity with it. In this study, it was found that Generation Z formed a dual image of salted pollock roe, the one is traditional salted pollock roe type which is eaten by middle-aged and older people and the other one is dishes containing salted pollock roe(pollock roe pasta etc) eaten by the younger generation in their 20s and 30s. It was analyzed that they had a negative attitude and low purchase intention for the traditional type salted pollcok roe on overall attributes such as appearance, taste and smell. But they positively evaluated the attributes of dishes containing salted pollock roe and had a high purchase intention. The factors impeding the consumption of pollack roe were the repulsive appearance, high price, salty taste and fishy smell, lack of experience in eating, lack of accessibility, limited cooking methods, and lack of awareness. These factors can be seen as a result of symbolizing that the traditional salted pollock roe has characteristics that are not suitable for Generation Z. In this study, based on these results, a new product change direction of salted pollock roe was suggested.

The Effect of Salt Percentage Difference on the Nutritional Quality of Fermented Climbing Perch (Anabas Testudineus Bloch) Wadi from Central Kalimantan

Wadi is a traditional fish fermentation product in semi-wet whole fish, a bit black (close to the colour of fresh fish), chewy texture with a distinctive aroma of fermented fish salty taste. Wadi is processed by dry salting in a tightly closed container with a high salt concentration (> 25%) at room temperature for 7 days to several months until the aroma of the wadi is formed. This study aims to determine the effect of giving different salt levels to the nutrition of fermented climbing perch fish wadi. The design used in this study is a qualitative descriptive method. This study showed that the higher salt content in the body of fish affects increasing levels of ash, carbohydrates and lowering the content of water, protein, and fat.

Effects of Fermented Camel Milk Supplemented with Sidr Fruit (Ziziphus spina-christi L.) Pulp on Hyperglycemia in Streptozotocin-Induced Diabetic Rats

Diabetes is one of the most common chronic metabolic diseases, and its occurrence rate has increased in recent decades. Sidr (Ziziphus spina-christi L.) is a traditional herbaceous medicinal plant. In addition to its good flavor, sidr has antidiabetic, anti-inflammatory, sedative, analgesic, and hypoglycemic activities. Camel milk has a high nutritional and health value, but its salty taste remains the main drawback in relation to its organoleptic properties. The production of flavored or fortified camel milk products to mask the salty taste can be very beneficial. This study aimed to investigate the effects of sidr fruit pulp (SFP) on the functional and nutritional properties of fermented camel milk. SFP was added to camel milk at rates of 5%, 10%, and 15%, followed by the selection of the best-fermented product in terms of functional and nutritional properties (camel milk supplemented with 15% SFP), and an evaluation of its hypoglycemic activity in streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats. Thirty-two male adult albino rats (weighing 150–185 g) were divided into four groups: Group 1, nontreated nondiabetic rats (negative control); Group 2, diabetic rats given STZ (60 mg/kg body weight; positive control); Group 3, diabetic rats fed a basal diet with fermented camel milk (10 g/day); and Group 4, diabetic rats fed a basal diet with fermented camel milk supplemented with 15% SFP (10 g/day). The results revealed that supplementation of camel milk with SFP increased its total solids, protein, ash, fiber, viscosity, phenolic content, and antioxidant activity, which was proportional to the supplementation ratio. Fermented camel milk supplemented with 15% SFP had the highest scores for sensory properties compared to other treatments. Fermented camel milk supplemented with 15% SFP showed significantly decreased (p < 0.05) blood glucose, malondialdehyde, low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol, cholesterol, triglycerides, aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, creatinine, and urea, and a significantly increased (p < 0.05) high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol, total protein content, and albumin compared to diabetic rats. The administration of fermented camel milk supplemented with 15% SFP in diabetic rats restored a series of histopathological changes alonsgside an improvement in various enzyme and liver function tests compared to the untreated group, indicating that fermented camel milk supplemented with 15% SFP might play a preventive role in such patients.

Sodium Intake and Salt Taste Preference During Adolescence: Followup of a Randomized Controlled Field Trial

ObjectivesDetermine whether dietary counseling on breastfeeding and healthy eating for mothers during the early postpartum period interacted with or was independent of sodium intake and pubertal development in predicting the concentration of salty taste most preferred by adolescents. MethodsWe conducted follow-up assessments of children aged 12 years (n = 202) whose mothers participated in a randomized controlled field trial when they were infants; the trial was designed to determine the impact of the dietary counseling for low-income mothers during the early postpartum period. Sodium intake was assessed using two, 24-hour dietary recalls from which we focused on sodium from processed and ultra-processed foods, classified according to the “NOVA” system; the most preferred level of salt was evaluated by the Monell two-series, forced-choice, paired comparison tracking method; and pubertal development was classified according to the Tanner stages. The associations of the randomization group, tanner stage, and sodium intake from processed and ultra-processed foods (4th quartile vs 1st–3rd quartiles) with the most preferred level of salt were assessed using multivariate linear regression. Variables such as birth weight, duration of exclusive breastfeeding, household income, skin color, BM-for-age Z, and height-for-age Z score were also included in the multivariate model for adjustment. ResultsIndependent of randomized groups (p = 0.14), children in Tanner stages 1–3 most preferred significantly higher concentrations of salty taste than those in later stages (β = 0.43; p = 0.02). Higher intakes of sodium from processed and ultra-processed foods were also associated with a preference for higher concentrations of salty taste (β = 0.52; p = 0.01). ConclusionsPrior to the cessation of puberty children most prefer higher concentration of salty of puberty adolescents prefer higher salt concentrations, evidencing that biological needs play an important role in driving salty-taste preferences. Therefore, it is relevant to promote healthy food habits among adolescents to prevent the excessive consumption of processed and ultra-processed foods which are not only rich in sodium, but also in sugar and fat. Funding SourcesBrazil National Council for Scientific and Technological Development; NIH Grant R01DC016616 to JAM.

Interlaboratory comparison of the intensity of drinking water odor and taste by two-way ordinal analysis of variation without replication.

A case study of ordinal data from human organoleptic examination (sensory analysis) of drinking water obtained in an interlaboratory comparison of 49 ecological laboratories is described. The recently developed two-way ordinal analysis of variation (ORDANOVA) is applied for the first time for the treatment of responses on the intensity of chlorine and sulfurous odor of water at 20 and 60 °C, which is classified into the six categories from 'imperceptible' to 'very strong'. The one-way ORDANOVA is used for the analysis of the 'salty taste' intensity of the water. A decomposition of the total variation of the ordinal data and simulation of the multinomial distribution of the data-relative frequencies in different categories allowed the determination of the statistical significance of the difference between laboratories in classifying chlorine or sulfurous odor intensity by categories, while the effect of temperature was not significant. No statistical difference was found between laboratories on salty taste intensity. The capabilities of experts to identify different categories of the intensity of the odor and taste are also evaluated. A comparison of the results obtained with ORDANOVA and ANOVA showed that ORDANOVA is a more useful and reliable tool for understanding categorical data such as the intensity of drinking water odor and taste.

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.

A Comparative Study on Quality of Fermented Shrimp Paste (Terasi) of Pelagic Shrimp from Different Locations in Indonesia

This study aims to determine and compare the quality of Indonesian fermented shrimp paste (terasi) produced from pelagic marine shrimp using a traditional preservation method (fermentation, drying, and salting). The quality of fermented shrimp pastes from different locations in Indonesia (Sungsang district, South Sumatra; Toboali district, Bangka Belitung Islands; Indramayu, West Java; Tegal, Central Java; Madura, East Java; Bontang, East Kalimantan and Sumbawa, West Nusa Tenggara) was determined by evaluating its parameters (i.e., physicochemical, microbiological, and sensory). This study found that the fermented shrimp pastes quality differed among locations due to the processing method used (i.e., fermentation, salting, and drying), not the raw material characteristics, as indicated by the Principal Component Analysis (PCA). The first group (Sumatra and Sumbawa terasi samples) with a similar added salt percentage and length of fermentation resulted in similar pH, salinity, salty taste, and more preferred taste. The second group (Java and Kalimantan terasi samples) with similar lengths of first and second sun-drying resulted in similar chemical compositions such as higher protein content, lipid content, moisture content, total amino acid, and bitter taste. Terasi from Toboali prepared using Acetes japonicus with 48 h of fermentation produced the most nutritious and preferred taste by the panelists.

Taste Receptor Cells Generate Oscillating Receptor Potentials by Activating G Protein-Coupled Taste Receptors.

The receptor potentials of taste receptor cells remain unclear. Here, we demonstrate that taste receptor cells generate oscillating depolarization (n = 7) with action potentials in response to sweet, bitter, umami, and salty taste substances. At a lower concentration of taste substances, taste receptor cells exhibited oscillations in membrane potentials with a low frequency and small magnitude of depolarization. Although the respective waves contained no or 1–2 action potentials, the taste receptor cells generated action potentials continuously in the presence of taste stimuli. Both the frequency and magnitude of oscillations increased when the concentration was increased, to 0.67–1.43 Hz (n = 3) and Δ39–53 mV (n = 3) in magnitude from −64.7 ± 4.2 to −18.7 ± 5.9 mV, which may activate the ATP-permeable ion channels. In contrast, a sour tastant (10-mM HCl) induced membrane depolarization (Δ19.4 ± 9.5 mV, n = 4) with action potentials in type III taste receptor cells. Interestingly, NaCl (1 M) taste stimuli induced oscillation (n = 2) or depolarization (Δ10.5 ± 5.7 mV at the tonic component, n = 9). Our results indicate that the frequency and magnitude of oscillations increased with increasing taste substance concentrations. These parameters may contribute to the expression of taste “thickness.”

Correlates of bitter, sweet, salty and umami taste sensitivity in European children: Role of sex, age and weight status - The IDEFICS study

We aimed to describe differences in taste sensitivity in children according to age across 7- to 11-year-old children from eight European countries. We further compared taste sensitivity between boys vs. girls and under-/normal weight vs. overweight/obese children. Within the European multicentre IDEFICS (Identification and prevention of dietary and lifestyle-induced health effects in children and infants) study, 1938 school children participated in sweet, bitter, salty and umami detection threshold tests between 2007 and 2010, using the paired comparison staircase method. The lowest concentration at which the child was able to detect a difference to water was determined as taste detection threshold as a proxy of taste sensitivity. Mean taste thresholds were calculated stratified for sex, age groups, weight groups and country. BMI was calculated using measured height and weight; socio-demographic information was collected using questionnaires. Ordinal logistic regressions were conducted to investigate the association between sex, weight status (as categorical exposure variable) and age (as continuous exposure variable) and the taste sensitivity for the four taste modalities (as outcome), separately. Older children were more taste sensitive for sweet and salty and less taste sensitive for umami and bitter than younger children. Girls were more sensitive to sweet taste than boys. Overweight or obese children were less sensitive to sweet and salty taste compared to normal weight children This was the first study comparing taste sensitivity by measuring taste thresholds in children across different European countries. We conclude that taste thresholds are associated with weight status, children become more sensitive to sweet and salty tastes with increasing age, and girls might be more sensitive to sweet than boys.

Differences in dynamic perception of salty taste intensity between young and older adults

In super-aged societies, high salt intake substantially increases the risk of stroke and cardiovascular disease. Perceived low salty taste often prompts the addition of table salt to food. However, it remains unclear how older adults perceive the nature and intensity of salty taste in the mouth and brain. We compared the perceptions of salty taste intensities of older adults with those of young adults. Participants were 74 healthy adults: 31 older (age, 60–81 years [65.0 ± 5.5 SD]) and 43 young (age, 21–39 years [25.0 ± 3.6 SD]). Our research project comprises three sequential experiments. This article reports on the first two, which were (1) static and (2) dynamic sensory evaluations of taste perceptions in the mouth. Participants assessed the taste of 0.3 M and 0.5 M sodium chloride solutions in two types of sensory evaluations: (1) a cup tasting test, in which they sipped the solution from cups, spat it out, and rated static salty taste intensity, and (2) a time-intensity sensory evaluation, in which the solutions were delivered to participants’ tongues through a custom-made delivery system while they recorded dynamic taste intensities on a hand-held meter. Older adults perceived significantly lower taste intensities than young adults (p = 0.004 and p < 0.001 for 0.3 M and 0.5 M, respectively). Reaction timings for both solutions did not differ, but the slopes for both concentrations were significantly lower for older adults than for young adults (p < 0.001). Using a standardized system allowed us to evaluate and directly compare real-time feedback on taste intensities according to age. This study is the first to characterize the time-intensity profiles of salty taste intensity in older adults. Our findings show that older adults do not take longer to recognize a salty taste, but their perception of taste intensity slowly increases, and yet remains lower than that of young adults. This suggests that older adults should be aware of the tendency to add more salt to their food to compensate for their low perceptions of salty taste. We would like to suggest them to savor and chew sufficiently during eating to optimize the perceived salty taste. Furthermore, our results offer a reference for ordinary citizens’ taste-intensity perceptions; our standardized system could be usefully integrated into clinical follow-up examinations and treatments.

Multiple Types of Taste Disorders among Patients with COVID-19.

Objective Based on the increasing incidence of smell and taste dysfunction among coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients, such issues have been considered an early symptom of infection. However, few studies have investigated the type of taste components that are most frequently affected in COVID-19 patients. This study investigated the difference in frequencies of the types of taste component disorders among hospitalized COVID-19 patients. Methods In this retrospective, single-center, observational study, patients' background characteristics, clinical course, laboratory and radiological findings, and details on taste and/or smell disorders were collected and analyzed from medical records. Patients A total of 227 COVID-19 patients were enrolled, among whom 92 (40.5%) complained of taste disorders. Results Multiple types of taste disorders (hypogeusia/ageusia and hypersensitivity, or hypersensitivity and changing tastes) were reported in 10 patients. In particular, 23 patients reported hypersensitivity to at least 1 type of taste, and 2 patients complained of a bitter taste on consuming sweet foods. Impairment of all taste components was found in 48 patients (52.2%). The most frequent taste disorder was salty taste disorder (81 patients, 89.0%). Hypersensitivity to salty taste was most frequently observed (19 patients, 20.9%). Conclusion Patients with COVID-19 develop multiple types of taste disorders, among which salty taste disorder was the most frequent, with many patients developing hypersensitivity to salty taste. As smell and taste are subjective senses, further studies with the combined use of objective examinations will be required to confirm the findings.

Flavoring of sea salt with Mediterranean aromatic plants affects salty taste perception.

BACKGROUNDSalt (sodium chloride) is an essential component of daily food, crucial for many physiological processes. Due to health risks related to salt over consumption, considerable interest is devoted to strategies to reduce dietary salt intake. In this work we evaluated the sensory dimensions of sea salts flavored with Mediterranean aromatic plants with the aim to confirm the role of herbs/spices in the enhancement of salty perception and to validate the use of flavored salts as a strategy to reduce salt intake. To this goal we compared taste dimensions (pleasantness, intensity, and familiarity) of solutions obtained with salt and sea salts flavored with Mediterranean herbs, spices, and fruits. Sensorial differences were analyzed using a seven‐point hedonic Likert‐type scale on 58 non‐trained judges.RESULTSMain flavor compounds, identified by gas chromatography‐flame ionization detection‐mass spectrometry (GC‐FID‐MS) analysis, were α‐pinene and 1,8‐cineole in myrtle salt (FS 1), verbenone, α‐pinene, 1,8‐cineole, and rosifoliol in herbs/plants salt (FS 2), and limonene in orange fruits/saffron salt (FS 3). At the dose of 0.04 g mL−1, saline solutions obtained with flavored salt (containing approximately 6–30% less sodium chloride) were perceived as more intense, less familiar, but equally pleasant than pure salt solution. In particular, sea salt flavored with orange fruits/saffron emerged as the most interesting in potentiating saltiness perception.CONCLUSIONOur study confirmed the important role of Mediterranean aromatic plants in the enhancement of saltiness perception and qualified the use of flavored sea salt during food preparation/cooking instead of normal salt as a potential strategy to reduce the daily salt intake. © 2022 The Authors. Journal of The Science of Food and Agriculture published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.

Potential Effects of Prolonged Water-Only Fasting Followed by a Whole-Plant-Food Diet on Salty and Sweet Taste Sensitivity and Perceived Intensity, Food Liking, and Dietary Intake.

The overconsumption of calorie-dense foods high in added salt, sugar, and fat is a major contributor to current rates of obesity, and methods to reduce consumption are needed. Prolonged water-only fasting followed by an exclusively whole-plant-food diet free of added salt, oil, and sugar may reduce the consumption of these hyper-palatable foods, but such effects have not been quantified. Therefore, we conducted a preliminary study to estimate the effects of this intervention on salty and sweet taste detection and recognition thresholds and perceived taste intensity after at least five days of fasting and at refeed day three. We also assessed the effects on sweet, salty, and fatty food preference and overall dietary consumption 30 days after the day three refeed visit. Based on this data, we estimated that 10 days after the start of the fasting, salty taste recognition, sweet taste detection, and sweet taste recognition thresholds decreased significantly, salty taste intensity ratings increased significantly, and sweet taste intensity ratings decreased significantly. We also have preliminary data that prolonged water-only fasting followed by refeeding on an exclusively whole-food-plant diet may reduce salty/fatty and sweet/fatty food liking, reduce sugar intake, and increase vegetable intake. These results support further research into the effects of fasting and diet on taste function and food likability and consumption.