Taste Sensitivity Is Associated with Food Consumption Behavior but not with Recalled Pleasantness

Abstract

As taste perception varies between individuals, it might be important in explaining food consumption behavior. Previous studies have focused on sensitivity to the bitter tastant PROP (6-n-propylthiouracil) concerning eating with little attention paid to other tastants. For the first time, connections between food consumption behavior, pleasantness, and taste sensitivity are studied with five taste modalities. Sensitivity to bitterness, sourness, umami, saltiness, and sweetness as well as an overall taste sensitivity score was determined with intensity evaluation for 199 Finnish adults. Recalled pleasantness and food consumption behavior were enquired with online questionnaires. Consumption concerned intake of vegetables, fruits, and berries; use-frequency of specific foods; and tendency to mask or modify tastes of foods. All modality-specific taste sensitivities were related to some consumption behavior but none to recalled pleasantness. A higher taste sensitivity score indicated avoidance of coffee, lower consumption of pungent foods, and a more frequent habit of adding ketchup to a meal. In conclusion, it may be more informative to study the influence of taste sensitivity on food consumption behavior with taste modalities separately rather than with a general indicator of taste sensitivity. Additionally, these results highlight the importance of studying actual behavior toward food and not just liking.

Keywords: behavior; consumption; food; perception; pleasantness; taste sensitivity.

Figure 1

The significant group differences in the number of portions of vegetables (mean and standard deviation), fruits, and berries (median and interquartile range) per week (possible range 0-42). (A) vegetable portions by umami sensitivity groups, UM1 = the least sensitive, UM2 = the semi-sensitive, UM3 = the most sensitive, (B) fruit portions by age groups (years), (C) berry portions by sex, (D) berry portions by BMI groups. * p < 0.05, ** p < 0.001 based on the Tukey (A) and Mann-Whitney U (B–D) test.

Figure 2

Significant group differences in frequency to mask/modify tastes. (A) sex vs. the habit of adding milk to coffee, (B) education vs. the habit of adding milk to coffee, (C) age (years) vs. the habit of adding milk to coffee, (D) age (years) vs. the habit of adding something sweet to berries, (E) education vs. the habit of adding sugar/honey to tea, (F) sex vs. the habit of adding soy sauce to a meal when eating it. * p < 0.05, ** p < 0.01, *** p < 0.001 based on the Mann-Whitney U test.

Figure 3

Differences in the frequency to mask/modify tastes by taste sensitivity groups, 1 = the least sensitive subjects, 2 = semi-sensitive subjects, 3 = the most sensitive subjects. (A) bitter sensitivity vs. the habit of adding milk to coffee, (B) bitter sensitivity vs. adding ketchup to a meal when eating it, (C) sweet sensitivity vs. adding ketchup to a meal when eating it, (D) salty sensitivity vs. adding ketchup to a meal when eating it, (E) sour sensitivity vs. habit of adding sugar/honey to tea. BI—bitter; SW—sweet; SA—salty; SO—sour. * p < 0.05, ** p < 0.01 based on Mann-Whitney U tests.