The Role of the Anion in Salt (NaCl) Detection by Mouse Taste Buds

Taste compounds, affecting factors, and methods used to evaluate chicken soup: A review

The taste of chicken soup is dependent upon various taste substances and human senses. More than 300 nonvolatile compounds reportedly exist in chicken/chicken soup. The primary purpose of this review was to elaborate on the prominent taste substances, the taste evaluation methods, and the factors affecting the taste of chicken soup. Most taste-active compounds with taste descriptions and thresholds in chicken soup were summarized. The application of sensory evaluation, liquid chromatography, electronic tongue, and other evaluation methods in chicken soup taste analysis were elaborated. The effects of genetic constitution, preslaughter, processing, and storage on chicken soup taste had been discussed. Nucleotides (especially inosine 5'-monophosphate), amino acids and their derivatives, organic acids, sugars, and peptides play a vital role in the taste attributes of chicken soup. Combining of liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry enables qualitative and quantitative analysis of taste-active compounds in chicken soup, aiding the exploration of key taste-active compounds. The electronic tongue application helps the overall taste perception of the soluble taste-active compounds present in chicken soup samples. Postmortem aging and stewing for a prolonged duration are effective techniques for improving the taste quality of chicken soup. The washing of preprocessing, the cooking temperature of processing, and the storage conditions also exert a significant impact on the taste of chicken soup.

Physiology of Taste Processing in the Tongue, Gut, and Brain

The gustatory system detects and informs us about the nature of various chemicals we put in our mouth. Some of these have nutritive value (sugars, amino acids, salts, and fats) and are appetitive and avidly ingested, whereas others (atropine, quinine, nicotine) are aversive and rapidly rejected. However, the gustatory system is mainly responsible for evoking the perception of a limited number of qualities that humans taste as sweet, umami, bitter, sour, salty, and perhaps fat [free fatty acids (FFA)] and starch (malto-oligosaccharides). The complex flavors and mouthfeel that we experience while eating food result from the integration of taste, odor, texture, pungency, and temperature. The latter three arise primarily from the somatosensory (trigeminal) system. The sensory organs used for detecting and transducing many chemicals are found in taste buds (TBs) located throughout the tongue, soft palate esophagus, and epiglottis. In parallel with the taste system, the trigeminal nerve innervates the peri-gemmal epithelium to transmit temperature, mechanical stimuli, and painful or cooling sensations such as those produced by changes in temperature as well as from chemicals like capsaicin and menthol, respectively. This article gives an overview of the current knowledge about these TB cells' anatomy and physiology and their trigeminal induced sensations. We then discuss how taste is represented across gustatory cortices using an intermingled and spatially distributed population code. Finally, we review postingestion processing (interoception) and central integration of the tongue-gut-brain interaction, ultimately determining our sensations as well as preferences toward the wholesomeness of nutritious foods. © 2021 American Physiological Society. Compr Physiol 11:1-35, 2021.