A group of young adult subjects was placed on self-maintained, low sodium diets for 5 months. Taste responses to salt in solutions, soups, and crackers were determined both during the 2 months preceding diet initiation and during a 5-month period when subjects lowered their sodium intake. Taste responses were also determined in a control group with ad libitum salt consumption throughout the same period. Perceived intensity of salt in crackers increased. The salt concentrations of maximum pleasantness in soup and crackers fell in the experimental subjects but not in the control subjects. These results demonstrate that the preferred level of salt in food is dependent on the level of salt consumed and that this preferred level can be lowered after a reduction in sodium intake. The implications of these findings for the maintenance of low sodium diets are discussed.

The existence and reliability of cephalic phase insulin release (CPIR) were tested in 20 normal weight males. Each subject was challenged three times with the same food stimulus over a 5-day period. Four baseline blood samples were taken at 5-min intervals before food ingestion and then every 2 min for 16 min postingestion. Significant increases in plasma insulin were found at 4 min postingestion on each trial day. CPIR was found to be highly reproducible between trials (r = 0.83; P less than 0.001). Fifty percent of the subjects exhibited a significant increase of plasma insulin above their own baseline mean on the first trial, whereas 75 and 72% exhibited increases on trials 2 and 3, respectively. Only two subjects (10%) did not demonstrate a response on any trial. A significant decline in plasma glucose was observed at 4 min postingestion on trials 2 and 3. No significant changes in plasma glucagon were found during any trial day. This study confirms a reliable CPIR in normal weight males.

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