Screening For Phenylthiocarbamide Taste Sensitivity Response Status On Apparently Healthy Subjects: A Pilot Study

Abstract

The dynamics of studying genetic variation in human population using phenylthiocarbamide has contributed immensely in influencing our knowledge of variations and diversity globally. The pilot study aims to screen for the taste sensitivity response status using different concentrations of a stock solution of 0.10% phenylthiocarbamide. 232 subjects were randomly recruited using a drawn questionnaire. 84.9% were tasters while 15.1 % were non-tasters. Of the 133 males, 52.3% were Tasters while 85.7% were non-Tasters. The 99 females, constituted 47.7% Tasters and 14.3% non-tasters. The Chi-Square analysis on gender was significant p-<0.000. The result of the different age range showed a decrease in the population of tasters with increase in age and a reverse among non-tasters. The phenotypic status of the age range of subjects was not significant p> 0.433. The combined allelic frequency of tasters and non - tasters was 0.61 and 0.39. Similarly, the individual allelic frequencies of male and female tasters were 0.52 and 0.78 while male and female non-tasters were 0.48 and 0.22, respectively. The pooled homozygous and heterozygous outcome for males was the same (0.50), but females were 0.66 and 0.34. The homozygous and heterozygous outcome of the combined population was 0.52 and 0.48. The highest cases of tasters were recorded at a threshold of 0.025 and 0.50 with female subjects responding most. The study provides insight to the distribution of the Phenylthiocarbamide phenotype, the heterozygous, homozygous and allelic frequencies of the population, which may serve as an index for directing dietary choice or diagnoses by health care professionals.