Masi Camilla, Dinnella Caterina, Monteleone Erminio, Prescott John
GESAAF, University of Florence, Via Donizetti, 6 50144 Firenze, Italy.
GESAAF, University of Florence, Via Donizetti, 6 50144 Firenze, Italy.
Physiol Behav. 2015 Jan;138:219-26. doi: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2014.10.031. Epub 2014 Nov 6.
Despite a few relationships between fungiform papillae (FP) density and 6-n-propylthiouracil (PROP) taster status have been reported for sensory qualities within foods, the impact on preferences remains relatively unclear. The present study investigated responses of FP number and PROP taster groups to different bitter compounds and how these affect coffee perception, consumption and liking. Subjects (Ss) with higher FP numbers (HFP) gave higher liking ratings to coffee samples than those with lower FP numbers (LFP), but only for sweetened coffee. Moreover, HFP Ss added more sugar to the samples than LFP Ss. Significant differences between FP groups were also found for the sourness of the coffee samples, but not for bitterness and astringency. However, HFP Ss rated bitter taste stimuli as stronger than did LFP Ss. While coffee liking was unrelated to PROP status, PROP non-tasters (NTs) added more sugar to the coffee samples than did super-tasters (STs). In addition, STs rated sourness, bitterness and astringency as stronger than NTs, both in coffee and standard solutions. These results confirm that FP density and PROP status play a significant role in taste sensitivity for bitter compounds in general and also demonstrate that sugar use is partly a function of fundamental individual differences in physiology.
尽管已有报道称，对于食物中的感官品质，菌状乳头（FP）密度与6-正丙基硫氧嘧啶（PROP）味觉状态之间存在一些关联，但对偏好的影响仍相对不明确。本研究调查了FP数量和PROP味觉分组对不同苦味化合物的反应，以及这些反应如何影响咖啡的感知、消费和喜好程度。与低FP数量（LFP）的受试者相比，高FP数量（HFP）的受试者对咖啡样品的喜好评分更高，但仅限于加糖咖啡。此外，HFP受试者比LFP受试者在样品中添加的糖更多。在咖啡样品的酸度方面，也发现了FP分组之间的显著差异，但在苦味和涩味方面没有差异。然而，HFP受试者对苦味刺激的评分比LFP受试者更高。虽然咖啡喜好与PROP状态无关，但PROP非尝味者（NTs）比超级尝味者（STs）在咖啡样品中添加的糖更多。此外，无论是在咖啡还是标准溶液中，STs对酸度、苦味和涩味的评分都比NTs更高。这些结果证实，FP密度和PROP状态总体上对苦味化合物的味觉敏感性起着重要作用，同时也表明糖的使用部分取决于个体生理上的基本差异。
