Psychophysical Tracking Method to Measure Taste Preferences in Children and Adults

Abstract

The Monell two-series, forced-choice, paired-comparison tracking method provides a reliable measure of sweet taste preferences from childhood to adulthood. The method, which is identical for children, adolescents, and adults, is of short duration (< 15 min), does not rely on sustained attention or place demands on memory (which would yield spurious age differences), and minimizes the impact of language development, making this method amenable to the cognitive limitations of pediatric populations. In this whole-mouth tasting method, subjects are asked to taste (without swallowing) pairs of solutions of different sucrose concentrations and to point to the solution they prefer. Each subsequent pair contains the participant's preceding preferred concentration and an adjacent stimulus concentration. The procedure continues until the subject chooses either a given concentration of sucrose when paired with both a higher and a lower concentration, or the highest or lowest concentration two consecutive times. Subjects are prevented from reaching response criteria on the basis of first or second position bias by the two-series design of the method, which counterbalances the order of solution presentation within each pair between the series (the weaker concentration is presented first in Series 1, second in Series 2). The geometric mean of the two sucrose concentrations chosen in Series 1 and 2 is an estimate of the participant's most preferred level of sucrose. Sucrose preference as determined with this laboratory-based measure has been shown to be associated with preference for sugars in foods and beverages and with taste receptor genotype, family history of alcoholism, and race/ethnicity, as well as depressive symptomatology among pediatric populations. The method has real-world relevance and has been applied to determine most preferred level of other tastes (e.g., salt), making it a valuable psychophysical tool.

Figure 1.. Tracking grids for recording sucrose preference.

The solution presented first is underlined in each grid.

Figure 2.. A subject performing the sucrose preference test and a tracking grid containing representative data from one subject.

(A) A pair of sucrose solutions is placed on the table in front of the subject in the order to be tasted. The subject is asked to taste the solution in position 1 for 5 sec, to expectorate, to rinse her mouth with water, and to repeat for the solution in position 2. After tasting both solutions, the subject is asked to point to the solution that she likes better, and to rinse her mouth twice with water. (B) The first solution of the pair tasted by the subject is underlined, and the subject’s choice is circled. In Series 1, testing ended when the subject chose solution B when it was paired with both a higher and lower concentration of sucrose. In Series 2, testing ended when the subject chose solution A (the lowest concentration solution) twice consecutively. (C) Determination of the subject’s preferred level of sucrose is estimated by calculating the geometric mean of the final concentration chosen in each series. The figure has been modified from Mennella, J. A., Lukasewycz, L. D., Griffith, J. W., Beauchamp, G. K. Evaluation of the Monell forced-choice, paired-comparison tracking procedure for determining sweet taste preferences across the lifespan. Image has been reproduced with permission.

Figure 3.. The most preferred level of sucrose (% wt/vol).

These data were obtained from calculating the geometric mean (Geo Mean) from both Series 1 and Series 2 among children (5–10 years, N=338), adolescents (10–20 years, N=168), and adults (20–55 years, N=424). Error bars represent standard errors of the means. *Significantly different from children and adolescent groups. Data from.