Chapter 3 - Taste

Question 1

Primary tastes

Answer 1

Sweet 
Sour 
Salty 
Bitter 
Umami

Question 2

Tastebuds

Answer 2

• around 10 000 tastebuds that are located in the mouth and throat
• each taste bud contains 50-150 taste receptor cells
• each taste-cell lives only about 10 days

Question 3

Difference between taste and flavour

Answer 3

Flavour is the full experience of eating that food:

• sight
• texture
• smell

Taste, however, is just smell and taste working together. The brains interpretation.

Question 4

Fallibility of Taste

Answer 4

1. Perceptual set
   Our expectations can influence the way we perceive different flavours. Visual cues play a large role in the way we perceive flavour
2. Colour intensity
   Colour intensity plays an important role, not just on our assessment of food, but in our prediction of the type of flavour we will experience
3. Texture
   Texture is the way food feels in our mouths. Some people might like tomato flavoured things, but not fresh tomatoes because of the watery texture.