The Amazing Sense of Taste: Unveiling its Mystery
The sense of taste is one of the five human senses and is recognized by the chemicals contained in food. The mechanism of taste has only recently been clarified, and there are still many unknowns. Advances in taste research are expected to contribute to health management.
The human sense of taste and its types
The sense of taste that humans have is perceived through the taste buds, an organ made up of taste cells, which are transmitted to the brain via neurons to judge the taste as sweet or bitter.
Humans have taste buds not only on the tongue but also on the soft palate (behind the upper jaw), pharynx, and esophagus in the oral cavity, so it can be said that they also perceive taste when swallowing.
Type of sense of taste
In the past, it was said that there are four basic tastes: sweet, sour, salty, and bitter, and that each area of the tongue is sensitive to different tastes. However, this way of thinking is now rejected, and the whole tongue perceives different tastes in a complex way.
There are five types of sense of taste called the five basic tastes.
Sweetness: the main flavor components include sucrose, fructose, and glucose.
Salty taste: salt is the main flavor component.
Acidity: the primary taste components include acetic acid, citric acid, and lactic acid.
Bitterness: caffeine is the main component of flavor.
Other of sense of taste
In addition to the five basic tastes, there are also tastes that can be obtained by chemical or physical stimulation. Together with the basic tastes, they form a more complex taste sensation. However, to date, the mechanisms by which all tastes are transmitted to the nerves have not been clarified.
Seasoning:
capsaicin contained in chili peppers and piperine contained in black pepper stimulates the receptor that feels the temperature rise as pain, resulting in a burning sensation. In addition, the allyl isothiocyanate contained in wasabi and other foods stimulates the cold stimulation receptor. which gives it a pungent taste.
Since these receptors are present not only in the oral cavity but also in the body, especially mucous membranes, approximately the same sensation occurs when capsaicin or the like is applied to the body.
Therefore, they are sometimes described .as nociceptive stimuli because they are perceived differently from Tastes perceived by taste buds.
Astringent: tannins contained in tea and astringent Persimmon symbol stick to the tongue, causing an astringent effect in the mouth.
Flavor
It is said that the sense of taste is influenced not only by one stimulus, but also by the sense of smell, sight, and previous food experiences. For example, if you eat blindfolded or cover your nose. so that you cannot smell it, you may feel that the same food tastes different. or it is different from what you have already eaten.
Also, even if the ingredients are similar, the taste may be perceived differently depending on the individual's eating experience. The sense of taste, which includes such a psycho-perceptual meaning, is sometimes called flavor.
The sixth taste
University research has revealed the presence of receptors that sense the taste of fat, which increases the likelihood that the taste of fat will become the sixth sense of taste.
It has been pointed out that there are significant individual differences in how people perceive the taste of fat, and that people who have difficulty feeling the taste of fat are at risk of consuming too much fat, which increases the risk of obesity and other diseases.
It is believed that the fatty taste is diminished due to the constant intake of fats and oils. However, due to the replacement of taste buds in about 10 days, it is possible that eating a low-fat diet for 10 days will improve the perception of fatty taste.
The interaction of different senses of sense of taste
When chemicals are mixed in the oral cavity, they can affect each other and produce a taste effect different from one chemical.
Synergy
The synergistic effect of different tastes is called Taste synergy. The synergistic effect of umami is generally known. When the umami component of glutamic acid (amino acid) and the umami component of inosinic acid (nucleic acid) combine, the umami feels several times stronger.
Inhibitory effect
When different tastes are combined, one taste weakens, which is called the effect of taste suppression. For example, adding sugar to coffee reduces bitterness.
Contrast effect
When different tastes are combined, one taste becomes stronger, which is called the taste contrast effect. The strong sweetness of tomatoes and watermelons with a pinch of salt is due to the contrast effect.
What is the process by which sense of taste?
Taste is perceived through the taste buds of chemicals (taste substances) in food.
sense of taste with taste buds
Tens to hundreds of taste cells are accumulated in the taste buds, and they are replaced by new ones in a short period of about 10 days. One end of the gustatory cell receives tastes, and the other end is connected to nerves that transmit taste information to the brain.
Receptors that characterize tastes are located on the surface of taste cells, and each taste has its own receptor, but the type varies according to taste, it is known that there are 25 types of
The brain judges the sense of taste
Taste information is transmitted along the gustatory nerve fibers to the taste zone of the cerebral cortex through the Solitarius impassable nucleus. At the same time, information other than taste.
such as smell, temperature, and texture. is also transmitted to the sensory areas of the cerebral cortex, and finally, all information is accumulated in the association area of the cerebral cortex.
Information is transmitted from the five senses, including taste, and information from visceral sensations to the amygdala, which determines whether a food is preferred based on previous eating experiences, etc.
and if it is, it stimulates the eating Center. which leads to eating behavior. Eating what you like and what you find tasty increases the activity of the reward system in your brain. giving you a feeling of fulfillment.
a summary
The sense of taste, also known as gustation, is a complex series of events that are necessary for the detection of chemicals in solution.
These events happen in the mouth and are transduced into electrical signals that are then sent to the brain. The brain then interprets these signals as different tastes. The four main tastes are sweet, sour, salty, and bitter.