Unpleasant Taste Research Articles

Bottled or Tap Water? Factors Explaining Consumption and Measures to Promote Tap Water

The production and consumption of plastic bottled water have several negative environmental impacts worldwide. To identify the barriers and motivations for drinking tap and bottled water, we conducted a nationally representative questionnaire survey among 3411 respondents in the Czech Republic in 2022. People aged 18–34 are moderate consumers of bottled water and very frequent consumers of tap water. Bottled water consumption tends to be less frequent among people with a higher education, while tap water consumption is less frequent among people with lower incomes. The most important factors that explain the frequency of drinking bottled and tap water are taste perception, health concerns and habit. Health concerns about tap water and the unpleasant taste of tap water increase the consumption of bottled water. People with a strong habit of drinking tap water are less likely to consume bottled water. The constructs from the theory of planned behaviour were statistically significant. The results can guide decision-makers in promoting tap water to consumers. To encourage tap water drinking, we suggest measures to increase the availability of tap water in public places in conjunction with campaigns targeting the taste and health perception, as well as the habit, of drinking tap water.

Preparation, characterization, and in vitro cytogenotoxic evaluation of a novel dimenhydrinate-β-cyclodextrin inclusion complex.

Dimenhydrinate (DMH), used to alleviate motion sickness symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, dizziness, and vertigo, encounters limitations in oral pharmaceutical formulations due to its poor water solubility and bitter taste. Our research hypothesized that inclusion complexation with β-cyclodextrin (β-CD) might address these drawbacks while ensuring that the newly formed complexes exhibit no cytotoxic or genotoxic effects on peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). Inclusion complexes were prepared using the kneading method and the solvent evaporation method. The phase solubility analysis, attenuated total reflectance-fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR), and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) were conducted to evaluate the complexation efficacy and stability constant of the new binary systems. The results demonstrated that both methods provided complete and efficient complexation. Cytogenotoxic analysis, including the 3-[4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl]-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay, alkaline comet assay, and cytokinesis-block micronucleus cytome (CBMN-cyt) assay, was conducted to assess the cytogenotoxic potential of DMH-β-CD inclusion complexes, a topic previously unexamined. No cytotoxic or genotoxic effects were observed within the concentration range of 36.36 to 109.09 ng/mL. Cell viability of treated PBMCs exceeded 85% for all tested concentrations. No significant increases in DNA strand breaks were observed at any dose, and tail intensity of all complexes remained lower or up to 2.2% higher than the negative control. Parameters indicating genotoxic effects, as well as cytotoxic and cytostatic potential in the CBMN-cyt assay, did not significantly differ from untreated controls. These results suggest that inclusion complexation with β-CD might be a safe and promising solution to overcome the limitations of poor solubility and unpleasant taste of DMH, potentially providing opportunities for new and improved oral pharmaceutical dosage forms.

Potentiometric Electronic Tongue for the Evaluation of Multiple-Unit Pellet Sprinkle Formulations of Rosuvastatin Calcium.

Sprinkle formulations represent an interesting genre of medicinal products. A frequent problem, however, is the need to mask the unpleasant taste of these drug substances. In the present work, we propose the use of a novel sensor array based on solid-state ion-selective electrodes to evaluate the taste-masking efficiency of rosuvastatin (ROS) sprinkle formulations. Eight Multiple Unit Pellet Systems (MUPSs) were analyzed at two different doses (API_50) and (API_10), as well as pure Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient (API) as a bitter standard. Calcium phosphate-based starter pellets were coated with the mixture containing rosuvastatin. Some of them were additionally coated with hydroxypropyl methylcellulose, which was intended to separate the bitter substance and prevent it from coming into contact with the taste buds. The sensor array consisted of 16 prepared sensors with a polymer membrane that had a different selectivity towards rosuvastatin calcium. The main analytical parameters (sensitivity, selectivity, response time, pH dependence of potential, drift of potential, lifetime) of the constructed ion-selective electrodes sensitive for rosuvastatin were determined. The signals from the sensors array recorded during the experiments were processed using Principal Component Analysis (PCA). The results obtained, i.e., the chemical images of the pharmaceutical samples, indicated that the electronic tongue composed of the developed solid-state electrodes provided respective attributes as sensor signals, enabling both of various kinds of ROS pellets to be distinguished and their similarity to ROS bitterness standards to be tested.

New molecular and cell-based approaches to assess food astringency and bitterness

New molecular and cell-based approaches to assess food astringency and bitterness Mouthfeel properties are crucial for human survival, nutrition, health and well-being. Unpleasant taste and mouthfeel properties in plant-based food, such as bitterness and astringency, are a challenge for food industries as flavour is key for consumer’s food choices. BeTASTy will contribute to deciphering the physiological and neural mechanisms involved in the interindividual unpleasant taste and mouthfeel perceptions through innovative molecular and cell-based approaches.

Bitter peptide prediction using graph neural networks

Bitter taste is an unpleasant taste modality that affects food consumption. Bitter peptides are generated during enzymatic processes that produce functional, bioactive protein hydrolysates or during the aging process of fermented products such as cheese, soybean protein, and wine. Understanding the underlying peptide sequences responsible for bitter taste can pave the way for more efficient identification of these peptides. This paper presents BitterPep-GCN, a feature-agnostic graph convolution network for bitter peptide prediction. The graph-based model learns the embedding of amino acids in the bitter peptide sequences and uses mixed pooling for bitter classification. BitterPep-GCN was benchmarked using BTP640, a publicly available bitter peptide dataset. The latent peptide embeddings generated by the trained model were used to analyze the activity of sequence motifs responsible for the bitter taste of the peptides. Particularly, we calculated the activity for individual amino acids and dipeptide, tripeptide, and tetrapeptide sequence motifs present in the peptides. Our analyses pinpoint specific amino acids, such as F, G, P, and R, as well as sequence motifs, notably tripeptide and tetrapeptide motifs containing FF, as key bitter signatures in peptides. This work not only provides a new predictor of bitter taste for a more efficient identification of bitter peptides in various food products but also gives a hint into the molecular basis of bitterness.Scientific ContributionOur work provides the first application of Graph Neural Networks for the prediction of peptide bitter taste. The best-developed model, BitterPep-GCN, learns the embedding of amino acids in the bitter peptide sequences and uses mixed pooling for bitter classification. The embeddings were used to analyze the sequence motifs responsible for the bitter taste.

Effectiveness of hypertonic saline with or without hyaluronic acid among patients with cystic fibrosis: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Background: The clinical effectiveness of hypertonic saline (HS) in individuals with cystic fibrosis (CF) can be compromised by adverse effects. The objective of this study was to examine the efficacy of hyaluronic acid (HA) in mitigating these negative occurrences. Methods: A comprehensive review of the literature was carried out using three electronic databases: Medline, Cochrane Central, and Embase. This systematic review and meta-analysis investigate the efficacy of hypertonic saline (HS) with and without hyaluronic acid (HA) in treating cystic fibrosis. Primary outcomes include the incidence of cough, throat irritation, unpleasant taste, and changes in FEV1. Our findings suggest that adding HA to HS significantly reduces adverse effects and enhances patient tolerability, marking a potential improvement in cystic fibrosis therapy. Risk ratios (RRs) and mean differences (MDs) with 95% CI were used to present evaluations. The quality of RCTs was evaluated using the Cochrane Risk of Bias Tool (CRBT). The quality of the observational study was evaluated using the Newcastle–Ottawa Scale. Results: From the 1960 articles retrieved from the initial search, five relevant studies (n=236 patients) were included in the final analysis. Compared with patients only on HS, patients with HS and HA were significantly less likely to experience cough (RR: 0.45; 95% CI, 0.28–0.72, P=0.001), throat irritation (RR: 0.43; 95% CI, 0.22–0.81, P=0.009), and unpleasant smell (RR: 0.43; 95% CI, 0.23–0.80, P=0.09). In addition, patients with HS with HA had significantly less forced expiratory volume (FEV1) (MD: −2.97; 95% CI, −3.79–−2.15, P=0.52), compared to patients only on HS. Patients on HA + HS had significantly lower rates of cough (RR: 0.45; 95% CI, 0.28–0.72, P=0.001), throat irritation (RR: 0.43; 95% CI, 0.22–0.81, P=0.009), and bad smell (RR: 0.43; 95% CI, 0.23–0.80, P=0.09) when compared to patients on HS alone. Furthermore, compared to patients solely on HS, patients with HS plus HA exhibited a substantially lower forced expiratory volume (FEV1) (MD: −2.97; 95% CI, −3.79 to −2.15, P=0.52) as well. Conclusion: For CF patients who need ongoing HS therapy and have a history of poor therapy tolerance, adding HA is beneficial.

Encapsulation of fatty acids in ruminant nutrition for improved meat and milk quality: A review

Abstract In recent years, the methods of producing protected fat supplements for feed have greatly developed. As a means of preserving unsaturated fats from oxidation, encapsulation has been used by food industry researchers to reduce unpleasant odor and taste, and as an effective method of protecting unsaturated fats. The process of encapsulating involves covering or trapping the target substance(s) in another substance or system. Similarly, vitamins and micronutrient compounds in food do not remain stable for long and are subject to decomposition, which depends on chemical structure, food matrix characteristics, handling parameters, and storage conditions. Consequently, encapsulation can prevent these compounds from being destroyed until they are transferred to the right location or slow down decomposition processes (such as oxidation or hydrolysis). That concept can be expanded to lipids (oils and fats). Currently, emulsion spray drying is the most common method of fine oil microcoating. The mass formation method produces more stable microcoatings with higher oil content than spray drying, as recently discovered. Biodegradable polymers have gained much attention as encapsulation materials. Microencapsulated lipids can increase the meat and milk quality of ruminants.

Clarithromycin-tailored cubosome: A sustained release oral nano platform for evaluating antibacterial, anti-biofilm, anti-inflammatory, anti-liver cancer, biocompatibility, ex-vivo and in-vivo studies

The clinical implication of clarithromycin (CLT) is compromised owing to its poor solubility and, subsequently, bioavailability, unpalatable taste, rapid metabolism, short half-life, frequent dosing, and adverse effects. The present investigation provides an innovative sustained-release oral drug delivery strategy that tackles these challenges. Accordingly, CLT was loaded into a cubosome, a vesicular system with a bicontinuous cubic structure that promotes solubility and bioavailability, provides a sustained release system combating short half-life and adverse effects, masks unpleasant taste, and protects the drug from destruction in gastrointestinal tract (GIT). Nine various formulas were fabricated using the emulsification method. The resulting vesicles increased the encapsulation efficiency (EE %) from 57.64 ± 0.04 % to 96.80 ± 1.50 %, the particle size (PS) from 147.30 ± 21.77 nm to 216.61 ± 5.37 nm, and the polydispersity index (PDI) values ranged from 0.117 ± 0.024 to 0.278 ± 0.073. The zeta potential (ZP) changed from −20.65 ± 2.01 mV to −33.98 ± 2.60 mV. Further, the release profile exhibited a dual release pattern within 24 h., with the percentage of cumulative release (CR %) expanding from 30.06 ± 0.42 % to 98.49 ± 2.88 %, optimized formula was found to be CC9 with EE % = 96.80 ± 1.50 %, PS = 216.61 ± 5.37 nm, ZP = −33.98 ± 2.60 mV, PDI = 0.117 ± 0.024, CR % = 98.49 ± 2.88 % and IC50 of 0.74 ± 0.19 µg/mL against HepG-2 cells with scattered unilamellar cubic non-agglomerated vesicles. Additionally, it exhibited higher anti-MRSA biofilm, relative bioavailability (2.8 fold), and anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial capacity against Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli, Bacillus subtilis, and Staphylococcus aureus compared to free CLT. Our data demonstrate that cubosome is a powerful nanocarrier for oral delivery of CLT, boosting its biological impacts and pharmacokinetic profile.

Initial implicit association between whole grains and taste does not predict consumption of whole grains in low-whole grain consumers: a pilot randomized controlled trial.

Health benefits of whole grain (WG) consumption are well documented. Current Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend at least half of total grains consumed be WG; however, Americans consume less than one serving of WG per day. Inferior taste of whole grain products as compared with refined grain products has been reported as one of the main barriers to acceptability and consumption of whole grains. In this pilot study, we aimed to determine if mere exposure to WG foods in self-reported low WG consumers would improve their implicit associations between WG and pleasant taste. Healthy adults (n=45) were provided a variety of WG or refined grain (RG) products for home use for 6 weeks. Intake was measured by calculating disappearance and verified by a daily log. At the beginning and end of the intervention, we administered an Implicit Association Test (IAT), a computer test designed to measure indirectly the strength of association between pairs of concepts: (a) two contrasted target categories (WG and RG food images) and (b) two contrasted attribute categories (words relating to pleasant or unpleasant taste) via a classification task. Response time was used to calculate IAT D scores, indicating the strength of implicit associations between WG and RG and positive or negative taste. ANCOVA showed that average D scores at the end of the study shifted significantly toward a positive implicit association between WG and good taste (p<0.05) in participants whose baseline D scores indicated an initial preference for RG over WG. No significant differences were found between the WG and RG groups in overall consumption of provided grain products. These findings suggest that mere exposure to WG products over an extended period of time in a free-living situation can improve automatic attitudes toward WG, potentially leading to increased consumption of WG foods. Clinicaltrials.Gov, identifier NCT01403857.

Incorporating taste and odour problems in water safety plans

ABSTRACT Many water companies are at least occasionally affected by unpleasant taste and odour (T&amp;O) in drinking water. For decades, aesthetic water quality has been of secondary concern to water producers, with water safety being the primary focus. However, there has been a recent shift towards prioritising consumer satisfaction, encompassing not only services, but also water quality, including T&amp;O issues, which can negatively impact the supplier's reputation. Starting to address a T&amp;O problem until consumers' complaints become massive is too late and puts water producers under great stress to take effective action in a timely manner. Rather, a preventive approach is necessary. The most effective approach is to include T&amp;O as a hazard to assess and manage in the context of developing a water safety plan (WSP) for the supply system. The development of a WSP provides an excellent platform for including the stakeholders needed to control the source of T&amp;O events, as this often requires multistakeholder cooperation. Our review provides a comprehensive guide to addressing T&amp;O occurrences and shows how this can be included in the framework and the steps of WSP development. It identifies supporting tools and illustrates the information given with a number of examples from water suppliers' practice.

A rare presentation of nasopharyngeal mass: a case report

A Thornwaldt's cyst develops in the nasopharynx, which is the region where the throat and nasal passageways converge, extending from the back of the nasal tube to above the soft palate. A painful throat, obstruction of the eustachian tube, and pus with an unpleasant taste and odour might result from an infection of the cyst. Here in our study, we report a case of a 27-year-old male presented with symptoms of nasal obstruction and voice change for the past 1 year. On zero-degree endoscopic examination, a nasopharyngeal mass was seen arising from the roof of the nasopharynx without bony erosion of skull base. Further based on his radiological investigations, heterogeneous hyperintense lesion in T1/T2 weighted images of size 5×5 mm noted in nasopharynx most likely to be the Thornwaldt’s cyst. Thus, the surgical removal of the nasopharyngeal mass has been performed through a transoral and trans nasal endoscopic technique with no remnants at the surgical site. The histopathological findings revealed respiratory-type epithelium with underlying lymphoid tissue confirming Thornwald’s cyst as diagnosis. The patient was discharged with no complications and have been periodically advised for a follow-up. The differential diagnosis should include a meningocele or meningo-encephalocele. Various therapeutic approaches, including endoscopic, transoral, or trans palatal surgical interventions, can be used for treatment of symptomatic cysts.

Microencapsulation of a green microalga (Chlorella vulgaris) by complex coacervation for its valuation as a feasible ingredient in pear snacks

The nutritional and bioactivity values of Chlorella vulgaris make this green microalga a potential functional food ingredient. However, its unpleasant taste and smell, as well as dark green color, have been considered restrictive for its consumers' acceptability. Here, it was hypothesized that complex coacervation can be used to produce microcapsules able to mitigate the sensory weaknesses of C. vulgaris in think pear snacks, while ensuring their acceptance and intention to buy. For this, two proteins with similar isoelectric points were used, the pea protein isolate (PPI) and the bovine serum albumin (BSA), while the partially-sulfated carrageenan (C) was the selected polysaccharide to encapsulate C. vulgaris (6 % w/w), at pH 3. Higher encapsulation yield (79 %) and efficiency (75 %) were obtained for PPI/C coacervates due to these polymers' higher electrostatic interaction at pH 3, contrasting with the higher repulsion promoted by some negatively charged BSA amino acids. Despite this, both microcapsules exhibited an amorphous structure and low water activity (aw around 0.3). However, PPI/C microcapsules had significantly lower moisture and water solubility (11 % and 57 %, respectively), as well as continuous shells. Moreover, PPI/C avoided the early release of C. vulgaris compounds at gastric conditions ensuring its later release in the intestinal tract. When incorporated into think pear snacks, the higher sensory scores and buying intention were obtained for snacks with PPI/C microcapsules containing C. vulgaris. Therefore, complex coacervation, particularly of PPI/C, allowed to mitigate non-valued microalga sensory attributes contributing for the future acceptance and consumption of algae-based food products.

Exploring the relationship between cycle threshold values and oral manifestations in COVID-19: a comprehensive overview.

This cross-sectional study aimed to compare oral manifestations between severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2)-positive and SARS-CoV-2-negative patients and to examine associations between oral symptoms, Ct values of E and N SARS-CoV-2 viral genes, and the implications of low Ct values indicating a high viral load, which is a predictive factor for the outcome of COVID-19. A total of 353 participating patients were aged ≥18 years with clinical manifestations of COVID-19 infection and tested for SARS-CoV-2 carriage at the medical center, by reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). All patients filled out an anonymous digital questionnaire regarding oral and general symptoms and overall medical health. Results: A significant association was found between SARS-CoV-2 carriage and dry mouth, unpleasant taste and changes in taste (p < 0.001); for example, 37.4% of the 147 SARS-CoV-2- positive participants had a dry mouth, compared to 18.9% of the 206 SARS-CoV-2- negative participants. Oral blisters were experienced by patients with an E gene Ct value of 10-20 (50%) or 21-30 (50%) (p = 0.041). Bad breath, dry mouth, unpleasant taste and changes in taste were mostly present in participants whose Ct values of both E and N genes were between 21 and 30. Conclusions: This study found significant associations between low Ct values of E and N SARS-CoV-2 viral genes and high viral load, indicating that Ct values can serve as predictive factors for COVID-19 outcomes. The findings suggest that while oral symptoms are present, the Ct values and associated high viral loads are more critical indicators of disease severity and prognosis.

Metabolite and microbial community composition of normal and sensory defect Nuodeng hams characterized based on metabolomics and high-throughput sequencing

Sensory defects dry-cured ham usually has an unpleasant taste and smell. To deepen the understanding of the formation mechanism of sensory defect ham, the metabolites and microbial community composition were investigated between normal and sensory defect ham. The results of high-throughput sequencing showed that the excessive accumulation of Enterobacteriaceae and Yeasts and reduced abundance of flavor-related microorganisms may be one of the reasons for the sensory defect hams. 42 differential metabolites were screened by metabolomics, among which amino acids and their derivatives and organic acids were the key metabolites to distinguish sensory defect hams from normal hams. KEGG pathway analysis showed that amino acid metabolism, TCA cycle, purine metabolism and pyrimidine metabolism were the main metabolic pathways of defect hams. These results indicated that small molecule metabolites and microorganisms were closely related to the quality of Nuodeng ham, which provides a scientific basis for the quality control of Nuodeng ham.

Food waste reduction and its environmental consequences: a quasi-experimental study in a campus canteen

BackgroundFood waste is the third-largest contributor to greenhouse gas emissions, which has severe environmental and economic effects. This study presents a two-level intervention to estimate the quantity and environmental consequences of food waste at a campus canteen, offering innovative solutions to reduce food waste and its environmental footprint.MethodologyThis study involved 300 students and consisted of three main stages: initial food waste assessment, environmental and economic impact evaluation, and qualitative exploration of the causes of food waste through interviews with students. The assessment included direct measures and weighing of leftover food, and the environmental and economic impact was calculated. A two-level intervention was implemented for students and staff, and a re-assessment of food waste was conducted to evaluate the intervention’s impact. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS.ResultsThe study monitored 26 meals, finding that the total amount of food waste in the university canteens was (mean = 60.65 g/person), and the intervention reduced food waste by 16.35% per meal (50.73 g/person). Moreover, after the intervention, the amount of food waste costs and total water waste were reduced by 30.14% and 16.66%, respectively. Grey water was reduced significantly by 12.5% (p = 0.033). Interviews with students identified low-quality meals, unpleasant taste, large portions, and a limited menu as the main causes of food waste.ConclusionsIt is possible to tackle food waste effectively with educational intervention, decreasing portion size, and improving the quality and variety of food.

Perceived and Physical Quality of Drinking Water in Pavlodar and Akmola Rural Regions of Kazakhstan

Water quality in rural areas of developing countries is a notable problem. In this article, drinking water quality from eleven villages in the Pavlodar and the Akmola region of Kazakhstan was analyzed. Questionnaires of village respondents and chemical components of drinking water were analyzed to identify the quality of drinking water. In each of the villages, the chemical content varied depending on the source of drinking water. In the rural Pavlodar region, we observed that some cations and anions exceed the MPC. Respondents’ perceptions of water quality are associated with water sources and physical components. For example, respondents’ satisfaction by inside tap of central water systems’ water was high, the answers of those whose water source was private wells showed more mixed satisfaction levels. The drinking water physical quality indicators are closely related to water mineralization and general hardness. The total microbial count of drinking water has a significant relationship with respondents’ complaints about unpleasant taste, odor, and salinity. The relationship between perceived and physical water quality is a critical aspect of water resource management. By bridging the gap between scientific assessments and public perceptions, we can enhance public health, build trust in water management systems, and promote sustainability of water use.

Advanced Oral Drug Delivery Systems for Combating and Preventing Paediatric Periodontal Disease

: The oral route is the most common route of administration of drugs. Over 90% of all the available marketed pharmaceutical products are oral formulations. Oral drugs are used in different courses of treatment including the prevention of tooth decay. Tooth decay is the permanent damage of the enamel which leads to the formation of cavities. It can be prevented with good oral hygiene and enough fluorides in the body. Fluorides can be administered both topically (toothpastes) and systemically (supplements). Fluoride supplements fall under oral drug delivery systems. They come in the form of tablets, lozenges, and liquids. However, challenges are faced when it comes to oral drug delivery in children. The development of paediatric drugs is a difficult undertaking since many pharmaceutically active compounds have low water solubility, instability, or an unpleasant taste. Children are unable to tolerate bitter or unpleasant- tasting formulations, as well as huge pills and capsules. Due to various biological, biochemical, and physical barriers faced by oral drug delivery systems, new approaches have been developed to address these challenges such as the application of nanotechnology in drug development. Jellies for oral administration on the other hand are a new approach for the delivery of drugs with bitter tastes as well as for age groups such as children and elders. They are clear, translucent, or non-greasy semisolid products that can be used both externally and internally. In-depth, aspects of these factors will be discussed in this review paper including oral dosage forms for paediatrics, tooth decay and its pathogenesis, preventive measures and setbacks of each measure as well as the future perspectives.

A randomised clinical trial to arrest caries using silver diamine fluoride therapy with two postoperative instructions

ObjectiveThe objective of this study is to investigate the beneficial effect of not rinsing for 30 min in arresting early childhood caries after SDF therapy. MethodsThis randomised clinical trial recruited 3- to 4-year-old kindergarten children with active (soft) dentine caries. A questionnaire was sent to the parents to collect children's demographic data and oral health-related behaviours. A dentist conducted an oral examination and measured the caries experience using dmft index and oral hygiene using visible plaque index. After 38 % SDF therapy, the children were randomly allocated into two groups. Children in group A were instructed to rinse with water immediately, whereas children in group B were asked to refrain from rinsing, drinking, or eating for 30 min. After six months, the same examiner determined the lesion activity (active/arrest) of the SDF-treated carious tooth surface. Generalized Estimating Equations was used to compare the proportion of caries arrest (caries-arrest rate) between the two groups. ResultsThis study recruited 298 children with 1,158 decayed tooth surfaces receiving SDF therapy at baseline and evaluated 275 (92 %) children with 1,069 (92 %) SDF-treated tooth-surface at the six-month examination. The demographic background, oral hygiene and caries status of two groups were comparable at baseline (p > 0.05). The caries-arrest rate for group A and group B were 65 % (337/519) and 61 % (338/550), respectively (p = 0.28). ConclusionThis randomised clinical trial found not rinsing for 30 min after SDF therapy is not better than immediate rinsing in arresting early childhood caries. Clinical significanceTopical SDF application leaves an unpleasant taste in the mouth, which may affect the acceptance or even rejection of SDF therapy among young children. This study provides clinicians with information to make their decision on postoperative instruction after SDF therapy.

Koku Sensation and Kokumi Substance: New Opportunities to Increase Palatability in Plant-Based Products

Abstract Food production needs to increase by 70% to meet the rising demand, but this puts a strain on food quality standards. Continuing to produce food in the same way would require more than one planet to sustain the demand, which is not feasible. Another problem is food waste; one-third of human food production is wasted globally every year, and only a small percentage is used for animal feed or other purposes. Therefore, drastic changes must be made to the global food production systems and our eating habits. Researchers have suggested a planetary diet that involves increasing the consumption of vegetables and fruits while reducing the intake of red meat. The goal is to accelerate the shift towards a greener lifestyle without compromising taste. It is suggested that koku sensation and kokumi substance can be effective tools for developing healthy and sustainable food by enhancing the taste of plant-based products. Research shows that fermentation is a promising method for improving the desirable qualities of plant-based foods by increasing the presence of kokumi peptides and various aroma compounds during the transformation process of raw materials, such as cereal by-products. This field of study holds the potential to increase consumer preference for plant-based diets by reducing unpleasant tastes, such as bitterness. Information © The Author 2024

Masking of bitterness in lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) by apple juice (Malus domestica Borkh.) in green smoothies - A pilot consumer study

While fruit smoothies are widely used to enhance fruit consumption, vegetable based green smoothies have not yet been systematically analyzed for consumer acceptance. Vegetable based green smoothies are often neglected due to their bitter and unpleasant taste or are masked with sweet fruits. This study investigates consumers' liking of 3 different smoothies with equal amounts of bitter lettuce and apple, but different portions of sweet apple juice, resulting in a decreasing bitter-compound-to-sugar ratio. Liking (9-point scales) of odor and taste, flavor perception (check-all-that-apply) and texture (just-about-right scale) were evaluated by 67 consumers. In the sweetest smoothie the descriptor ‘bitter’ was chosen almost 4 times less frequently than in the smoothie with the lowest sugar concentrations (medium effect size; Cohens D: 0.569). Detailed knowledge of bitter masking thresholds may help to balance between bitter masking and limited use of highly caloric ingredients in healthy green smoothies.