Supertaster
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A supertaster is a person whose sense of taste is of far greater intensity than the average person, having an elevated taste response.[1]
History
The term originated with experimental psychologist Linda Bartoshuk, who has spent much of her career studying genetic variation in taste perception. In the early 1980s, Bartoshuk and her colleagues found that some individuals tested in the laboratory seemed to have an elevated taste response and called them supertasters.[2]
This increased taste response is not the result of response bias or a scaling artifact but appears to have an anatomical or biological basis.
Phenylthiocarbamide
In 1931, Arthur L. Fox, a
Propylthiouracil
In the 1960s, Roland Fischer was the first to link the ability to taste PTC, and the related compound propylthiouracil (PROP), to food preference, diets, and calorie intake.[5] Today, PROP has replaced PTC for research because of a faint sulfurous odor and safety concerns with PTC.[6] Bartoshuk and colleagues discovered that the taster group could be further divided into medium tasters and supertasters.[7] Research suggests 25% of the population are non-tasters,[8] 50% are medium tasters, and 25% are supertasters.[9]
Cause
The exact cause of heightened response to taste in humans has yet to be elucidated. A review found associations between supertasters and the presence of the
In addition, environmental causes may play a role in sensitive taste. The exact mechanisms by which these causes may manifest, as well as possible evolutionary advantages to elevated taste sensitivity, are still unknown.[11][12] In some environments, a heightened taste response, particularly to bitterness, would represent an important advantage in avoiding potentially toxic plant alkaloids. However, an increased response to bitterness may limit approach behavior for various palatable foods.
TAS2R38
The bitter-taste-receptor gene TAS2R38 has been associated with the ability to taste PROP[13] and PTC,[14] although a causal relationship with the supertaster phenomenon has not been established.[15] Additionally, the T2R38 genotype has been linked to a preference for sweetness in children,[16] avoidance of alcoholic beverages,[13] increased prevalence of colon cancer (because of inadequate vegetable consumption),[17] and avoidance of cigarette smoking.[18]
Prevalence
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Women
Women are more likely to be supertasters, as are those from Asia, South America, and Africa.
Identification
The tongue's fungiform papillae can be revealed with blue food dye.
Supertasters were initially identified based on the perceived intensity of propylthiouracil (PROP) compared to a reference salt solution. Supertasters consume more salt in comparison to those with average taste.[20] Subsequently, salt has been replaced with a non-oral gustatory standard. Therefore, if two individuals rate the same gustatory stimulus at a comparable perceptual intensity, but one gives a rating twice as large for the bitterness of a PROP solution, the experimenter can be confident the difference is real and not merely the result of how the person is using the scale.[citation needed] Today, a phenylthiocarbamide (PTC) test strip is used to help determine if someone is a low taster. The general population tastes this as bitter about 75% of the time.[21]
Many studies do not include a cross-modal reference and categorize individuals based on the bitterness of a concentrated PROP solution
Specific food sensitivities
This article is in prose. is available. (October 2016) |
Although individual food preferences for supertasters cannot be typified, documented examples for either lessened preference or consumption include:
- Certain alcoholic beverages[23] (gin, tequila, and hoppy beers)
- Brassica oleracea cultivars
- Coffee[27]
- Chocolate
- Grapefruit juice[28]
- Green tea[28]
- Soy products[28]
- Carbonated water[31]
- Mushrooms
- Anise and licorice
- Lower-sodium foods[32]
- Spicy foods[19]
Other foods may also show altered patterns of preference and consumption, but only indirect evidence exists:
- Tonic water – quinine is more bitter to supertasters[citation needed]
- Olives – for a given concentration, salt is more intense in supertasters[citation needed]
See also
References
- PMID 21851828.
- .
- ^ Fox AL (1931). "Six in ten 'tasteblind' to bitter chemical". The Science News-Letter. 9: 249.[verification needed]
- S2CID 30300307.
- PMID 25166026.
- ISBN 978-0-87355-202-8.
- ISBN 0471264385.
- ^ a b "BBC - Science & Nature - Human Body and Mind - Science of supertasters". www.bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 2023-05-10.
- ^ Roxby P (9 December 2012). "Why taste is all in the senses". BBC News Health.
- S2CID 40598794.
- S2CID 44506616.
- ^ "Myths of Human Genetics: PTC tasting". udel.edu.
- ^ PMID 15547448.
- PMID 15723792.
- PMID 18209019.
- PMID 15687429.
- S2CID 21099629.
- PMID 16298720.
- ^ a b Crosby G (2016-05-31). "Super-Tasters and Non-Tasters: Is it Better to Be Average?". The Nutrition Source. Harvard University. Retrieved 2020-06-04.
- ^ Knox R (16 June 2010). "For Supertasters, A Desire For Salt Is Genetic". NPR.org. Retrieved 2020-06-04.
- ^ "PTC The Genetics of Bitter Taste". learn.genetics.utah.edu.
- PMID 11595676.
- ^ S2CID 40244872.
- S2CID 26518676.
- ^ "Super-Tasters and Non-Tasters: Is it Better to Be Average?". The Nutrition Source. May 31, 2016. Retrieved 2020-06-04.
- ^ "Super-Tasting Science: Find Out If You're a "Supertaster"!". Science Buddies. Scientific American. December 27, 2012. Retrieved 2021-07-18.
- ^ PMID 10656470.
- ^ PMID 11259346.
- ^ S2CID 24387624.
- PMID 16979544.
- ^ Swan N (7 January 1998). "Health Report – 22/12/1997: Super Tasters". ABC More. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 2013-08-29.
- ^ Gardner A (16 June 2010). "Love Salt? You Might Be a "Supertaster"". Health.com. Archived from the original on 14 January 2012. Retrieved 2014-12-09.
Further reading
- Reed DR, Tanaka T, McDaniel AH (June 2006). "Diverse tastes: Genetics of sweet and bitter perception". Physiology & Behavior. 88 (3): 215–226. PMID 16782140.
- Cole K (29 March 2011). "How we taste – and the truth about 'supertasters'". The Oregonian. An interview with sensory scientist Juyun Lim of Oregon State University and winemaker John Eliassen
- Di Lorenzo PM, Youngentob SL (October 2012). "Taste and Olfaction". In Gallagher M, Nelson RJ (eds.). Handbook of Psychology, Behavioral Neuroscience. Vol. 3. New York: Wiley. p. 272. ISBN 978-0-470-89059-2.
External links
- Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man (OMIM): 171200 (thiourea testing)