Taste detection threshold is the minimum concentration of a flavoured substance detectable by the

sense of taste The gustatory system or sense of taste is the sensory system that is partially responsible for the perception of taste (flavor). Taste is the perception produced or stimulated when a substance in the mouth reacts chemically with taste receptor ...

Sweetness Sweetness is a Taste#Basic tastes, basic taste most commonly Perception, perceived when eating foods rich in sugars. Sweet tastes are generally regarded as pleasure, pleasurable. In addition to sugars like sucrose, many other chemical compounds ...

detection thresholds are usually measured relative to that of

sucrose Sucrose, a disaccharide, is a sugar composed of glucose and fructose subunits. It is produced naturally in plants and is the main constituent of white sugar. It has the molecular formula . For human consumption, sucrose is extracted and refined ...

sourness The gustatory system or sense of taste is the sensory system that is partially responsible for the perception of taste (flavor). Taste is the perception produced or stimulated when a substance in the mouth reacts chemically with taste receptor ...

relative to dilute

hydrochloric acid Hydrochloric acid, also known as muriatic acid, is an aqueous solution of hydrogen chloride. It is a colorless solution with a distinctive pungent smell. It is classified as a strong acid Acid strength is the tendency of an acid, symbol ...

, saltiness relative to table salt ( NaCl), and bitterness to

quinine Quinine is a medication used to treat malaria and babesiosis. This includes the treatment of malaria due to ''Plasmodium falciparum'' that is resistant to chloroquine when artesunate is not available. While sometimes used for nocturnal leg cr ...

. These substances have a reference index of 1. Thresholds for bitter substances can be considerable lower than those for other flavoured substances, this may be due to the importance of ingesting large amounts of energy-rich or salty food while avoiding even small quantities of poisonous substances, which are often bitter. Variation in sensitivity among individuals plays a role in dietary selection and there is evidence that diet reciprocally affects taste sensitivity. One study found that non- vegetarians had less sensitivity to sweetness while vegetarians had higher sensitivity to

caffeine Caffeine is a central nervous system (CNS) stimulant of the methylxanthine class. It is mainly used recreationally as a cognitive enhancer, increasing alertness and attentional performance. Caffeine acts by blocking binding of adenosine t ...

, a bitter substance.

References

Gustation {{food-stub

See also

References