Ramirez I
Monell Chemical Senses Center, Philadelphia, PA 19104-3308.
Physiol Behav. 1991 Aug;50(2):389-92. doi: 10.1016/0031-9384(91)90083-z.
Rats are capable of tasting or detecting maltooligosaccharides (e.g., Polycose) and starch in water, two substances that are bland to humans. Because both substances are glucose polymers, it has been suggested that they may be detected by the same mechanism. The present experiments examined whether rats conditioned to avoid one of these substances also avoid the other. Rats were injected with lithium chloride after being allowed to drink a 3% corn starch suspension. These rats subsequently avoided corn, potato, rice, and waxy maize (high-amylopectin) starch but did not avoid 0.1-3% Polycose Rats treated with lithium chloride after ingesting 3% Polycose avoided 3% and 0.5% Polycose, but they did not avoid 3% corn starch, 6% corn starch, or 3% waxy maize starch. These results indicate that rats can discriminate between starch and Polycose (maltooligosaccharides). It therefore seems likely that Polycose and starch have different sensory qualities.
大鼠能够品尝或检测水中的麦芽低聚糖（如聚葡萄糖）和淀粉，而这两种物质对人类来说是无味的。由于这两种物质都是葡萄糖聚合物，因此有人认为它们可能通过相同的机制被检测到。本实验研究了经条件反射而避免摄入其中一种物质的大鼠是否也会避免摄入另一种物质。大鼠在饮用3%玉米淀粉悬浮液后注射氯化锂。这些大鼠随后避免食用玉米、土豆、大米和糯玉米（高支链淀粉）淀粉，但不避免0.1 - 3%的聚葡萄糖。摄入3%聚葡萄糖后用氯化锂处理的大鼠避免摄入3%和0.5%的聚葡萄糖，但不避免3%玉米淀粉、6%玉米淀粉或3%糯玉米淀粉。这些结果表明，大鼠能够区分淀粉和聚葡萄糖（麦芽低聚糖）。因此，聚葡萄糖和淀粉似乎具有不同的感官特性。
