Slashdot Mirror
Sweet, Sour, Salty, Bitter, Protein ... and Now Fat
ral writes "The human tongue can taste more than sweet, sour, salty, bitter and protein. Researchers have added fat to that list. Dr. Russell Keast, an exercise and nutrition sciences professor at Deakin University in Melbourne, told Slashfood, 'This makes logical sense. We have sweet to identify carbohydrate/sugars, and umami to identify protein/amino acids, so we could expect a taste to identify the other macronutrient: fat.' In the Deakin study, which appears in the latest issue of the British Journal of Nutrition, Dr. Keast and his team gave a group of 33 people fatty acids found in common foods, mixed in with nonfat milk to disguise the telltale fat texture. All 33 could detect the fatty acids to at least a small degree."
What the summary doesn't mention is that the BMIs of the sample group were inversely proportional to their ability to sense fat.
Just the fact that people can detect fatty acids in their non-fat milk doesn't imply that there is an actually taste receptor for fat. Could also be the change of texture of the milk or activation of other taste receptors by the fatty acids. I would only call this a specific taste when the associated taste receptor protein is identified.
I'll notify the British Journal of Nutrition that their published research is invalid.
"mixed in with nonfat milk to disguise the telltale fat texture"
Perhaps you missed that part of the summary (let alone TFA).
dnuof eruc rof aixelsid
You know... for when you're testing 9 volt batteries.
Bite down on your tongue. It tastes painful.
Why, without your clothes, you're naked, Miss Dudley!
Well, it's well known that people often associate tastes and smells with their most vivid experiences.
What amazes me is that you were able to RTFS, then follow the link and RTFA, and then follow the link in that article, while still being able to get first post. Absolutely amazing.
That's also what she said.
You are welcome on my lawn.