Sensory Taste Perception Research Articles

Bioinformatics-based Identification of Ferroptosis-related Genes and their Diagnostic Value in Gestational Diabetes Mellitus.

Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is considered a risk factor for heart metabolic disorder in future mothers and offspring. Ferroptosis is a new type of programmed cell death, which may participate in the occurrence and development of GDM. This study aims to identify ferroptosis-related genes in GDM by bioinformatics methods and to explore their clinical diagnostic value. The dataset GSE103552 was analyzed using the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database to screen for differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in GDM. Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analysis and proteinprotein interaction (PPI) network were performed. Gene sets for ferroptosis were retrieved in MSigDB and GSVA gene set analysis was performed on the database. Finally, logistic regression was performed to differentiate between GDM patients and controls to screen for diagnostic markers. A total of 179 DEGs were identified in the expression profile of GDM. GO and KEGG enrichment analysis revealed significant enrichment in the TGF-β, p53 signaling pathway, platelet activation, glutathione metabolism, sensory perception of taste, and leukocyte and vascular endothelial cell migration regulation. DEGs (n = 107) associated with the ferroptosis gene set were screened by GSVA analysis. The screened DEGs for disease and DEGs for ferroptosis scores were intersected and 35 intersected genes were identified. PPI identified two key genes associated with GDM as CCNB2 and CDK1. Wilcox-test showed low expression of CCNB2 and CDK1 in GDM. The area under the ROC curve (AUC) of the CCNB2 and CDK1 prognostic model was 0.822. The genes associated with ferroptosis in GDM were CCNB2 and CDK1, which can be used as valid indicators for the diagnosis of GDM.

Identification of nonsense variants in the genomes of 15 Murciano-Granadina bucks and analysis of their segregation in parent-offspring trios

Nonsense variants can inactivate gene function by causing the synthesis of truncated proteins or by inducing nonsense mediated decay of messenger RNAs. The occurrence of such variants in the genomes of livestock species is modulated by multiple demographic and selective factors. Even though nonsense variants can have causal effects on embryo lethality, abortions, and disease, their genomic distribution and segregation in domestic goats have not been characterized in depth yet. In this work, we have sequenced the genomes of 15 Murciano-Granadina bucks with an average coverage of 32.92 × ± 1.45 × . Bioinformatic analysis revealed 947 nonsense variants consistently detected with SnpEff and Ensembl-VEP. These variants were especially abundant in the 3'end of the protein-coding regions. Genes related to olfactory perception, ATPase activity coupled to transmembrane movement of substances, defense to virus, hormonal response, and sensory perception of taste were particularly enriched in nonsense variants. Seventeen nonsense variants expected to have harmful effects on fitness were genotyped in parent-offspring trios. We observed that several nonsense variants predicted to be lethal based on mouse knockout data did not have such effect, a finding that could be explained by the existence of multiple mechanisms counteracting lethality. These findings demonstrate that predicting the effects of putative nonsense variants on fitness is extremely challenging. As a matter of fact, such a goal could only be achieved by generating a high quality telomere-to-telomere goat reference genome combined with carefully curated annotation and functional testing of promising candidate variants.

The Sensory Characteristics of Eggs Enriched With the fish and Linseed Oil

This research investigates the effect of fish and linseed oils supplemented to the laying hens’ feed on the sensory characteristics of table eggs. The experiment was performed on 480 laying hens of TETRA SL hybrid, which were divided into three groups (K: 5 % of soybean oil, P1: 1.5 % of fish oil and 3.5 % of linseed oil, and P2: 2 % of fish oil and 3% of linseed oil). A sensory analysis of eggs was comprised of an assessment of egg color, smell, taste, and texture and was performed by a panel of tasters (n=52) who administered the triangle test and the hedonic test. The panel determined that there was a significant difference (P<0.05) in taste of eggs between the treatment pairs K: P1 and K: P2 but no significant difference between the treatment pair P1: P2. The most frequently detected difference between the treatment pairs referred to the taste, then to color and smell, and the difference in egg texture between the pairs was not represented that much. An increased amount of fish oil in the hens’ diet increased a sensory perception of egg smell and decreased a sensory perception of taste. The egg taste liking differed significantly between the treatments (P<0.05). Referring to the sensory characteristics of likability of color and odor of eggs, there were no significant differences (P>0.05) determined between the treatments.

Chromosome-level genome assembly of bean flower thrips Megalurothrips usitatus (Thysanoptera: Thripidae)

Bean flower thrips Megalurothrips usitatus is a staple pest of cowpea and other legumes and causes dramatic economic losses. Its small size allows for easy concealment, and large reproductive capacity easily leads to infestations. Despite the importance of a genome in developing novel management strategies, genetic studies on M. usitatus remain limited. Thus, we generated a chromosome-level M. usitatus genome using a combination of PacBio long read and Hi-C technologies. The assembled genome was 238.14 Mb with a scaffold N50 of 13.85 Mb. The final genome was anchored into 16 pseudo-chromosomes containing 14,000 genes, of which 91.74% were functionally annotated. Comparative genomic analyses revealed that expanded gene families were enriched in fatty acid metabolism and detoxification metabolism (ABC transporters), and contracted gene families were strongly associated with chitin-based cuticle development and sensory perception of taste. In conclusion, this high-quality genome provides an invaluable resource for us to understand the thrips’ ecology and genetics, contributing to pest management.

Developments in Research on Salivary Biomarkers in the Diagnosis of Systemic Diseases

Saliva, an important biological fluid secreted by oral glands, serves multiple functions. It performs cleaning and protective functions for oral tissues, safeguarding against biological, mechanical and chemical stimuli, while allowing for the sensory perception of taste and temperature. It is also responsible for the preliminary digestion of food. These functions and properties of saliva are attributed to the presence of electrolytes, buffers, proteins, glycoproteins, and lipids in saliva. Recent studies have found that saliva contains biomarkers that are closely connected with the pathophysiological status of the human body, suggesting that saliva makes an ideal biological fluid for drug monitoring and biomarker screening. Therefore, salivary biomarkers can be used as an instrument for physical monitoring and localization of the occurrence of diseases, thereby accomplishing early diagnosis of diseases and assessment of the overall health status of patients. However, the actual application of salivary biomarkers in the diagnosis and treatment of systemic diseases is still not widely available, and the establishment of evaluation criteria and the exploration of its mechanism are not sufficiently investigated. Herein, we reviewed the latest research findings on applying the salivary biomarkers in the diagnosis of systemic diseases.

Identification of key genes and pathways in chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps and asthma comorbidity using bioinformatics approaches.

Patients with chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps (CRSwNP) and asthma comorbidity (ACRSwNP) present severe symptoms and are more likely to relapse. However, the pathogenesis of ACRSwNP is not fully understood. The aim of this study was to explore the underlying pathogenesis of ACRSwNP using bioinformatics approaches. ACRSwNP-related differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified by the analysis of the GSE23552 dataset. The clusterProfiler R package was used to carry out functional and pathway enrichment analysis. A protein–protein interaction (PPI) network was built using the STRING database to explore key genes in the pathogenesis of ACRSwNP. The bioinformatics analysis results were verified through qRT-PCR. The Connectivity Map (CMap) database was used to predict potential drugs for the treatment of ACRSwNP. A total of 36 DEGs were identified, which were mainly enriched in terms of regulation of immune response and detection sensory perception of taste. Thirteen hub genes including AZGP1, AQP9, GAPT, PIP, and PRR4 were identified as potential hub genes in ACRSwNP from the PPI network. Analysis of the GSE41861 dataset showed that upregulation of CST1 in nasal mucosa was associated with asthma. qRT-PCR detection confirmed the bioinformatics analysis results. Tacrolimus and spaglumic acid were identified as potential drugs for the treatment of ACRSwNP from the CMap database. The findings of this study provide insights into the pathogenesis of ACRSwNP and may provide a basis for the discovery of effective therapeutic modalities for ACRSwNP.

Proasellus thrive in the dark – plasticity enabling cave colonisation?

Darkness is the hallmark of all subterranean habitats and, to some degree, of many surface habitats. Many surface animals that live in semi-dark habitats, such as freshwater benthos, are photophobic. Yet, few of them can colonize caves and form subterranean populations. We hypothesize that phenotypic plasticity induced by darkness enables surface crustaceans to colonize caves, as has been previously shown for the cavefish Astyanax mexicanus. Our target organisms were surface species that form distinct subterranean populations with different adaptations to caves and have closely related cave species. Proasellus proved to be a good model system, and we selected the surface species Proasellus coxalis and its cave relative P. anophtalmus to learn what adaptations evolve in subterranean forms. We exposed a randomly selected group of both species to complete darkness (DD) where we could establish breeding colonies. Control breeding colonies are exposed to a 12:12 h light-dark photoperiod (LD). Other conditions are kept as constant and equal as possible, including conditioned Alnus glutinosa leaves used for shelter and food. We examined the molecular phenotypes of both Proasellus species, animals originally collected from the wild and preserved after four months under the experimental conditions DD and LD. The number of observed differentially expressed genes (DEGs) was significantly higher between cohorts DD and LD of P. coxalis compared to P. anophtalmus. The direction of regulation of DEGs also showed the opposite effect, with the cohort of P. coxalis DD showing predominant upregulation and the cohort of P. anophtalmus DD showing predominant downregulation relative to their cohorts LD. A greater number of DEGs in both species were associated with various metabolic processes such as lipid regulation. In contrast, DEGs related to growth, cell division, rhythmic processes, sensory perception of taste, and sexual reproduction were observed only in P. coxalis. We examined the changes at the phenotypic level in the first generation born in the experiment. Surprisingly, P. coxalis showed better fitness under DD conditions (growth rate, fecundity, survival). Other phenotypes were altered in both adaptive and non-adaptive directions i. e. towards vs. opposite of cave adaptations. We conclude that darkness is not a limiting factor in cave colonization and suggest that it may even be a key factor in the evolution of troglomorphy via phenotypic plasticity.

Saliva changes in composition associated to COVID-19: a preliminary study

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV 2), is usually associated with a wide variety of clinical presentations from asymptomatic to severe cases. The use of saliva as a diagnostic and monitoring fluid has gained importance since it can be used to investigate the immune response and to direct quantification of antibodies against COVID-19. Additionally, the use of proteomics in saliva has allowed to increase our understanding of the underlying pathophysiology of diseases, bringing new perspectives on diagnostics, monitoring, and treatment. In this work, we compared the salivary proteome of 10 patients with COVID-19, (five patients with mild and five patients with severe COVID-19) and ten control healthy patients. Through the application of proteomics, we have identified 30 proteins whose abundance levels differed between the COVID-19 groups and the control group. Two of these proteins (TGM3 and carbonic anhydrase-CA6) were validated by the measurement of gGT and TEA respectively, in 98 additional saliva samples separated into two groups: (1) COVID-19 group, integrated by 66 patients who tested positive for COVID-19 (2) control group, composed of 32 healthy individuals who did not show any sign of disease for at least four weeks and were negative for COVID-19 in RT-PCR. In the proteomic study there were observed upregulations in CAZA1, ACTN4, and ANXA4, which are proteins related to the protective response against the virus disturbance, and the upregulation of TGM3, that is correlated to the oxidative damage in pulmonary tissue. We also showed the downregulation in cystatins and CA6 that can be involved in the sensory response to stimulus and possibly related to the presence of anosmia and dysgeusia during the COVID-19. Additionally, the presence of FGB in patients with severe COVID-19 but not in mild COVID-19 patients could indicate a higher viral aggregation and activation in these cases. In conclusion, the salivary proteome in patients with COVID-19 showed changes in proteins related to the protective response to viral infection, and the altered sensory taste perception that occur during the disease. Moreover, gGT and TEA could be potential biomarkers of respiratory complications that can occurs during COVID 19 although further larger studies should be made to corroborate this.

The Tetragnatha kauaiensis Genome Sheds Light on the Origins of Genomic Novelty in Spiders.

Spiders (Araneae) have a diverse spectrum of morphologies, behaviors, and physiologies. Attempts to understand the genomic-basis of this diversity are often hindered by their large, heterozygous, and AT-rich genomes with high repeat content resulting in highly fragmented, poor-quality assemblies. As a result, the key attributes of spider genomes, including gene family evolution, repeat content, and gene function, remain poorly understood. Here, we used Illumina and Dovetail Chicago technologies to sequence the genome of the long-jawed spider Tetragnatha kauaiensis, producing an assembly distributed along 3,925 scaffolds with an N50 of ∼2 Mb. Using comparative genomics tools, we explore genome evolution across available spider assemblies. Our findings suggest that the previously reported and vast genome size variation in spiders is linked to the different representation and number of transposable elements. Using statistical tools to uncover gene-family level evolution, we find expansions associated with the sensory perception of taste, immunity, and metabolism. In addition, we report strikingly different histories of chemosensory, venom, and silk gene families, with the first two evolving much earlier, affected by the ancestral whole genome duplication in Arachnopulmonata (∼450 Ma) and exhibiting higher numbers. Together, our findings reveal that spider genomes are highly variable and that genomic novelty may have been driven by the burst of an ancient whole genome duplication, followed by gene family and transposable element expansion.

Is sonic hedgehog expression in saliva related to taste sensitivity in adults?

Recent studies have demonstrated the critical role of the sonic hedgehog in the sensory perception of taste. Salivary sonic hedgehog stimulates taste bud stem cells, also acts as a taste bud growth factor, and contributes to the receptors' development and longevity in the taste buds. This study's objective was to investigate the possible relationship between taste sensitivity and sonic hedgehog expression in saliva in normal-weight and pre-obese/obese participants (totally 46 male (47.8%) and female (52.2%) aged 19–44 were recruited). Thresholds for the six tastes (sweet, salty, bitter, sour, umami and fat) were investigated using 3-Alternate Forced Choice Methodology. Saliva was collected with the draining method for sonic hedgehog expression analysis. The results indicated significantly higher thresholds for sweet, bitter and fat in pre-obese /obese adults than normal-weight adults (p<0.05). The sonic hedgehog expression was also lower in pre-obese /obese participants than normal-weight participants (p<0.05). Furthermore, sonic hedgehog expression was higher in hypersensitive participants than hyposensitive participants (p<0.05) only among normal-weight individuals, with no significant difference in sonic hedgehog expression level by taste sensitivity in pre-obese/obese individuals (p>0.05). Sonic hedgehog expression level was negatively correlated with body mass index, sweet, salty, bitter and fat taste threshold. The study results indicated that sonic hedgehog expression level acted on taste sensitivity in normal-weight participants, with greater expression in hypersensitive individuals than hyposensitive individuals.

Oral Microbiome of Permanently Mentally Disabled and Healthy Children

Abstract The oral cavity is a biologically significant and complex site of the human body. It is a gateway into the internal environment of the organism. There are many processes, such as the beginning of digestion, speech creation, and sensory perception of taste. Oral health is closely related to the general health of a person. The oral cavity contains an enormous number of microorganisms that can cause various diseases. Oral bacteria are responsible for diseases in the mouth, but can also seriously harm human health. The oral microbiome also serves as an indicator of health, respectively morbidity of the human organism. Compared to healthy children, mentally disabled children suffer from many congenital and acquired diseases and disorders that affect their overall and oral health. These children require a specific approach to the examination, but also to the therapy. Therefore, it is necessary to pay attention to the prevention of oral diseases in children, whether healthy or mentally disabled.

ЛІНГВОКУЛЬТУРНА СЕМАНТИКА ОРГАНОЛЕПТИВІВ У ГЛЮТОНІЧНОМУ ФРЕЙМІ

In the article S.M. Rudenko made an attempt of a comprehensive study of linguocultural semantics of terminal organoleptics – language signs of the peripheral zone of the gluttonic frame, which are a mental analogue of the perceptual characteristics of units of its nuclear zone. Folklore, ethnographic, ethnolinguistic, lexicographic and popular science sources were taken as a material for research. It is emphasized that in order to denote taste reception, modern Ukrainian language has a wide range of absolutely different units – from word to text. The main representatives of the analyzed case are the nominations of taste, smell, appearance, color, design of dishes and products, however, units representing sound, touch, and consistency also play an important role in describing food perception. Their semantics has cultural characteristics. In the course of the study, it was found that semantic features were invested in a special form of expression such as taste sensation, intensity (degree sign of the degree of manifestation or influence of taste omissions), assessment (positive or negative characteristic of taste sensations in terms of personal, subjective criteria; the presence or lack of evidence); syncretism (indivisibility) of sensory perception of taste and tactile sensations, taste and smell. Phraseological units of the Ukrainian language, which include gustative elements, are used not only in the language of gluttony, but also in the process of nominating the concepts of other areas of human activity, in particular the highest emotional. Text units, which reflect the model of color matching of dishes to the consumer’s taste expectations are of great importance. The obtained results make it possible to make a conclusion that the semantics of organoleptics in the gluttonic frame reflect both taste preferences developed over the centuries-old history of the Ukrainian people and its specific worldview character.

To Assess the Influence of Habitual Mouth Breathing and its Associated Taste Alterations

Background: If the sense of taste is impaired, it may often negatively affect patient’s food intake, nutritional status and consequently health condition because it provides information about the food we eat. Aim and Objective: To study the influence of habitual mouth breathing and its associated taste alterations and also investigate the cause of this influence. Method and Methodology: Total eighty subjects were taken out of which forty healthy volunteers (male-26; female14) participated in this study. The mean age of these subjects was 25.6± 1.9 (SD) years (age range, 19-36 years). Furthermore forty subjects (male-21; female-19) with a habit of mouth breathing (MB) were taken. The mean age of these subjects was 29.5± 3.4 (SD) years (age range, 19-40 years). A taste threshold is the minimum concentration at which taste sensitivity to a particular substance or food can be perceived. The subjects were told to avoid eating or drinking anything, with the exception of water for 3 hours before evaluation. In addition, a complete Ear, Nose, Throat examination was performed. We carried out the chemical method of gustatory testing by using filter paper taste strips. This is a validated gustatory test, used to measure the gustatory sensitivity of the tongue for 5 tastants; sweet, sour, salty, bitter, and umami. We measured the recognition thresholds only on one side on the tongue either left or right. There are many factors that can alter taste senstivity. Considering these factors can help us better understand and ensure accurate sensory taste perception. Although there are a variety of factors but some that influence taste perception more than others are discussed in this study. These various effects are brought about by the many organic and inorganic constituents of saliva. In response to these variations in saliva, taste sensitivity may also fluctuate widely. Conclusion: Relationships between individual salivary constituents and certain taste substances have been explored in human psychophysical and animal experiments. However, there are many organic and inorganic salivary constituents whose effects on taste acuity have not yet been fully elucidated

Cognitive implications in the psychophysical estimation of taste

in sensory perception of taste, it is difficult to learn the concepts of absolute threshold (AT), the psychophysical methods to estimate it and the influence exerted by prior knowledge on their perception and recognition, because they have little awareness. to assess absolute thresholds of four basic flavors in a sample of healthy young people, in conditions of food restriction/without restriction, and to analyze the influence of prior knowledge of astringency in its detection-identification. one hundred and fourteen participants with an average of 20.03 years old (SD = 5.45), 75.4% of them women, were put in direct contact with chemical substances of basic flavors and astringency through a theoretical-practical tasting. An inverted treatment design was applied with experimental conditions on food restriction and knowledge of astringency. all identified their AT for basic flavors. The group with restriction was significantly more sensitive (Tb = -3.305, p = 0.001) to sweet (AU = 2 g/l) than the group without restriction (AU = 5 g/l). The detection-identification of astringency was significantly higher (t = -13.323, p = 0.000) with previous information of the name (79.31%) than without this information (19.64%), confusing or describing it as bitter taste (80.36). taste learning is facilitated with the performance of psychophysical measurements of chemical senses, together with training of certain theoretical concepts about taste perception and flavor denomination, because it facilitates the cognitive process for detection-identification. In addition, the process for the previous internal homeostasis of participants must be considered as their AU results vary according to the hunger/satiety conditions prior to the psychophysical estimation.

Association between parental consumer attitudes with their children's sensory taste preferences as well as their food choice.

BackgroundWe investigated the association between the consumer attitudes of European parents and their children’s taste preferences and food choice. Furthermore, we studied whether the parental consumer attitudes were related to education level.MethodsThis analysis included 1,407 IDEFICS study children aged 6.0 to 11.8 years and from 7 European countries, who participated in the sensory taste perception module between 2007 and 2010. Parental consumer attitude was operationalized as ‘trusting in foods known from advertisements’ (trusting advertisements) and as ‘not avoiding additives in food’ (not avoiding additives). Parents reported their educational attainment and completed a food frequency questionnaire for their children. Consumption frequencies of sweet, fatty and processed foods as well as a healthy diet adherence score were calculated. Children performed fat, sweet and umami taste preference tests. Multivariable logistic models were used to analyse the association between parental consumer attitudes and their children’s taste preference frequencies as well as parental education. Linear regression models were used to analyse the association between parental consumer attitudes and their children’s food consumption.ResultsParental consumer attitudes were not associated with children’s fat, sweet and umami taste preferences. Children of parents trusting advertisements consumed more frequently processed foods (β = 1.21, 95% CI: 0.49; 1.93). Children of parents not avoiding additives consumed more often sweet, fatty and processed foods and had a lower healthy diet adherence score (β = 2.37, 95% CI: 1.03; 3.70; β = 2.27, 95% CI: 1.12; 3.43; β = 0.91, 95% CI: 0.22; 1.59; β = -2.87, 95% CI: -3.89; -1.85, respectively). Unfavourable parental consumer attitudes were associated with a lower parental education level across Europe (Compared to high education: Odds Ratio (OR) of trusting advertisements with medium education: 1.04, 95% CI: 0.77; 1.40; OR with low education: 2.01, 95% CI: 1.15; 3.54; OR of not avoiding additives with medium education: 1.91, 95% CI: 1.44; 2.54; OR with low education: 1.76, 95% CI: 0.96; 3.24).ConclusionsAcross Europe, unfavourable parental consumer attitudes are associated with a lower diet quality of their children. Parental consumer attitudes in turn were associated with their own level of education. This has implications for policy makers, interventions and health promotion programmes that aim to promote healthy eating.

Association between the number of fungiform papillae on the tip of the tongue and sensory taste perception in children

ABSTRACTBackground: To measure sensory taste perception in children with an accurate and reproducible method is challenging and objective measurement methods are scarce.Objective: Aim was to characterize sensory taste perception, by measuring the number of fungiform papillae (FP) and to investigate whether the number of FP is associated with sensitivity for bitter taste and with taste preferences for sweet, salty, fatty or umami in children between 8 and 11 years of age.Design: Number of FP was measured with a digital camera in 83 children in a German subsample of the IDEFICS study. Among those 56 children performed a taste threshold test for bitter and taste preference tests for sweet, salty, fatty and umami. The association between the number of FP and sensory taste perception was analysed.Results: There is a tendency towards a lower number of FP in children with a higher fat preference (30 vs. 25 papillae, p=0.06). Results show no association between the number of FP and neither the bitter taste thresholds nor taste preferences for sweet, salty and umami.Conclusion: Bitter taste threshold might be independent of the number of FP, while the perception of fat was associated with the number of FP.

The IDEFICS cohort: design, characteristics and participation in the baseline survey

The European IDEFICS (Identification and prevention of dietary- and lifestyle-induced health effects in children and infants) study was set up to determine the aetiology of overweight, obesity and related disorders in children, and to develop and evaluate a tailored primary prevention programme. This paper focuses on the aetiological element of the multicentre study, the measures and examinations, sociodemographic characteristics of the study sample and proportions of participation. Prospective cohort study with an embedded intervention study that started with a baseline survey in eight countries in 2007-2008. Baseline participants of the prospective cohort study were 16,224 children aged 2-9 years. Parents reported sociodemographic, behavioural, medical, nutritional and other lifestyle data for their children and families. Examinations of children included anthropometry, blood pressure, fitness, accelerometry, DNA from saliva and physiological markers in blood and urine. The built environment, sensory taste perception and other mechanisms of children's food choices and consumer behaviour were studied in subgroups. Between 1507 and 2567, children with a mean age of 6.0 years and an even sex distribution were recruited from each country. Of them, 82% lived in two-parent families. The distribution of standardised income levels differed by study sample, with low-income groups being strongly represented in Cyprus, Italy and Germany. At least one 24-h dietary recall was obtained for two-thirds of the children. Blood pressure and anthropometry were assessed in more than 90%. A 3-day accelerometry was performed in 46%, motor fitness was assessed in 41%, cardiorespiratory fitness in 35% and ∼11% participated in taste perception tests. The proportion of children donating venous blood, urine and saliva was 57, 86 and 88%, respectively. The IDEFICS cohort provides valuable data to investigate the interplay of social, environmental, genetic, physiological and behavioural factors in the development of major diet- and lifestyle-related disorders affecting children at present.

Design and results of the pretest of the IDEFICS study

During the preparatory phase of the baseline survey of the IDEFICS (Identification and prevention of dietary- and lifestyle-induced health effects in children and infants) study, standardised survey procedures including instruments, examinations, methods, biological sampling and software tools were developed and pretested for their feasibility, robustness and acceptability. A pretest was conducted of full survey procedures in 119 children aged 2-9 years in nine European survey centres (N(per centre)=4-27, mean 13.22). Novel techniques such as ultrasound measurements to assess subcutaneous fat and bone health, heart rate monitors combined with accelerometers and sensory taste perception tests were used. Biological sampling, physical examinations, sensory taste perception tests, parental questionnaire and medical interview required only minor amendments, whereas physical fitness tests required major adaptations. Callipers for skinfold measurements were favoured over ultrasonography, as the latter showed only a low-to-modest agreement with calliper measurements (correlation coefficients of r=-0.22 and r=0.67 for all children). The combination of accelerometers with heart rate monitors was feasible in school children only. Implementation of the computer-based 24-h dietary recall required a complex and intensive developmental stage. It was combined with the assessment of school meals, which was changed after the pretest from portion weighing to the more feasible observation of the consumed portion size per child. The inclusion of heel ultrasonometry as an indicator of bone stiffness was the most important amendment after the pretest. Feasibility and acceptability of all procedures had to be balanced against their scientific value. Extensive pretesting, training and subsequent refinement of the methods were necessary to assess the feasibility of all instruments and procedures in routine fieldwork and to exchange or modify procedures that would otherwise give invalid or misleading results.

Sugars and Acids Influence Flavor Properties of Mango (Mangifera indica L.)

Fruit flavor is a function of sensory perception of taste, aromatic and chemical feeling factor components in the mouth. The specific role of sugars and acids in potentiating flavor perception of volatile compounds and chemical feeling factors is not well known for many fruits. This study was conducted to determine the effects of selected levels of sugars and acids on perception of 3 taste (sweet, sour, bitter), 6 aromatic (banana, grassy, orange peel, peach, pine/turpentine, sweet potato), and 2 chemical feeling factor (astringent, biting) flavor notes in diluted, fresh mango homogenate using a trained descriptive panel. Perception of all flavor descriptors except sour were enhanced by increasing the sugar concentration. An increase in acid concentration enhanced perception of sweet, sour and biting notes while lowering perception of the astringent, peach and pine/turpentine notes. Brix-to-acid ratio (BAR) was found to be an effective chemical indicator for perception of sourness but was not effective for perception of sweetness. These results provide insight into optimum balances of sugars and acids as they influence mango flavor perception specifically in preparation of juice blends, selection of cultivars for specific fresh markets, or determination of optimum ripeness in the marketplace.