Oral sensory phenotype identifies level of sugar and fat required for maximal liking

Abstract

A half-century ago, Fischer and colleagues found correlations between food preference and genetic markers of taste [propylthiouracil (PROP), quinine]. Recently, a number of studies report differences in sweet liking/disliking with taste phenotype or genotype. Here we modeled optimal liking for milk/ sugar mixtures using the response surface method among 79 mostly normal weight adults (36 women) who reported low dietary restraint. Two non-overlapping phenotype analyses were performed: a) discordance in PROP versus quinine bitterness and b) number of fungiform papillae (FP, taste papillae on the tongue tip). Although all phenotype groups liked highly sweet and creamy sensations (in liking by sensation models), the fat and sugar levels for hedonic optima varied (in liking by concentration models). Males generally liked higher fat (20 to 40%) and sugar levels, with females disliking unsweetened cream. In quinine/PROP groups, liking peaked at 30% fat/15% sucrose for men and women who tasted 0.32mM quinine more bitter than 3.2mM PROP (n=15); a group previously shown to have highest sugar intakes . Those tasting PROP more bitter than quinine (n=14) reported greater creamy/sweet sensations, with peak liking at lower fat and sweet levels (3.3% fat/10% sucrose). Generally, those in the high FP group perceived more creamy/sweet sensations with level of liking more influenced by sugar level, especially among high FP females. At high sugar/high fat levels low-FP males and females retained this liking while liking fell off for those in the high FP group. In summary, although most liked sweet/creamy sensations, perceptual differences in these sensations varied with oral phenotype, explaining some of the differences in the amount of sugar and fat required to reach hedonic optima. A high affinity for high sugar/high fat mixtures among oral phenotype subgroups has relevance for energy consumption and could explain the link previously observed between oral sensation and body weight.A half-century ago, Fischer and colleagues found correlations between food preference and genetic markers of taste [6-n-propylthiouracil (PROP), quinine]. Recently, a number of studies report differences in sweet liking/disliking with taste phenotype or emerging genes. Here we modeled optimal liking for milk/sugar mixtures using the response surface method among 79 mostly normal weight adults (36 women) who reported low dietary restraint. Two non-overlapping phenotype analyses were performed: a) discordance in PROP versus quinine bitterness and b) number of fungiform papillae (FP, taste papillae on the tongue tip). Although all phenotype groups liked highly Publisher's Disclaimer: This is a PDF file of an unedited manuscript that has been accepted for publication. As a service to our customers we are providing this early version of the manuscript. The manuscript will undergo copyediting, typesetting, and review of the resulting proof before it is published in its final citable form. Please note that during the production process errors may be di...

Preference for linoleic acid in obesity-prone and obesity-resistant rats is attenuated by the reduction of CD36 on the tongue

“…Our data suggest that the obesity-prone OM rats prefer a higher concentration of fat than obesityresistant rats and that at the highest concentration of linoleic acid tested, OM rats maintained their preference, while the S5B rats no longer preferred the linoleic acid. This is in congruence with studies suggesting that people that have a higher threshold for detecting fats may be more likely to overconsume high-fat foods, which increases their risk for developing obesity (18,20,43). To determine whether there were inherent differences in fatty acid receptor expression on the circumvallate papillae that may account for the differences in linoleic acid preference thresholds between the strains, experiment 2 quantified the expression of three fatty acid receptors in OM and S5B rats fed a chow diet.…”

“…Individual differences in oral fat perception and fat preference thresholds in humans are hypothesized to influence their propensity for developing diet-induced obesity. It may be hypothesized that those people who exhibit a reduced oral fat perception may consume high-fat foods to compensate for a weak signal from the oral cavity, which would lead to the overconsumption of the fatty food, and eventually, obesity (18,20,43). An alternate hypothesis would suggest that increased sensing of dietary fat via the oral cavity would lead to an increase in fat intake, and subsequent obesity.…”

Variation in the Ability to Taste Bitter Thiourea Compounds: Implications for Food Acceptance, Dietary Intake, and Obesity Risk in Children

“…The hypothesis that PROP status might be associated with the perception and intake of dietary fat originated from studies by Tepper & Nurse (131), who showed that adult nontasters were unable to accurately distinguish fat content in high-and low-fat Italian salad dressings. Other studies in adults showed that relative to PROP tasters, nontasters perceived less fat content and creaminess from a variety of foods (46,65,66,110,131,132) despite the fact that they reported liking higher-fat foods (65,66,132). The relationship between PROP taster status and fat perception is thought to be mediated through fungiform papillae density.…”

Sex differences in the physiology of eating

“…10), and their papillae tend to have more pores leading to the taste buds (46,573). The density of fungiform papillae is associated with the density of afferent innervation of the tongue by the chorda tympani and trigeminal nerves; in addition, it is significantly correlated with 1) the sensory intensity (independent of hedonic valence) of sweet solutions and foods, 2) tactile acuity on the tongue surface, and 3) the sensory intensity of creaminess of fatty foods (213,316,317). As a result, because women generally have more fungiform taste papillae than men, they perceive foods as sweeter and creamier than men.…”