Sense of taste

Question 1

no of taste buds

Answer 1

10^5

Question 2

The tongue can senses : (8)

Answer 2

the 5 tastes

Astringent, Pungent Spicy, Heat and Cold, Tingling, Fat, Phase Change, Carbonation, Electric

Question 3

Taste compound usually

solubility/ volatility / polarity/ acts on

Answer 3

usually polar, water soluble and non-volatile

acts on receptors in mouth or on tongue

Question 4

ex of the 5 Tastes compounds threshold (in ppm)

Answer 4

Sucrose = 5000
Saccharine = 4

Sodium chloride= 1000

Monosodium glutamate= 100
Inosine monophosphate = 250

Acetic acid = 100
Tartaric acid = 20

Quinine =2

Question 5

Ex of Non-sugar Sweeteners

Answer 5

Saccharin / •Sodium cyclamate
•Acesulfame K / •Aspartame
•Sucralose (Splenda) / Stevioside
Neohesperidine dihydrochalcone

Question 6

Sweet-tasting Proteins

Answer 6

Thaumatin /Monellin /Miraculin

Question 7

the difference between a flavour modifier and a flavour enhancer

Answer 7

A flavour modifier is a flavouring substance with modifying properties that changes individual organoleptic characteristics of a food product but does not produce an overall enhancement of all the sensorial properties.

A flavour enhancer is a material that influences all the attributes equally keeping the same overall profile.

Question 8

flavour enhancer is covered by which regulation?requires E number? Y/N

Answer 8

Food Additives Regulation 1333/2008

requires an E number.

Question 9

flavour modifier is covered by which regulation?requires E number? Y/N

Answer 9

Food Additives Regulation 1334/2008 and is on the Union List
does not require an E number and is labelled ‘flavouring’.

Question 10

Features of sweet-tasting substances (2)

Answer 10

• Distance between the electronegative atom B and the hydrogen atom H on A must be close to 0.3nm)
• The corresponding groups on the surface of a receptor protein of the taste bud epithelial cells should be similar apart

•Exceptions: L-amino acids – third binding site –three dimensional receptor site (ᵧ)