The Complexities of Taste

Paul Stenzel

HRM 224

Fall 2004

Stenzel HRM 224

Lessons in Taste

The Elements of Taste:Exploring the building blocks

Evaluating Sensory Appeal: Identifying characteristics in food

Sensory Evaluation

The process of analyzing, or taking things apart, to evaluate

their flavor composition

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The Process

8 to 12 experts, trained together

Goal: to objectively describe sensory characteristics of food independently of each other

Food products are tasted blind

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Controlling the environment

Must be well-lit

Clean

Well-ventilated

Quiet

Session must be well-directed

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Rules for tasting

No talking. Instead…..TasteWritePrepare to share

Cleanse palate with bread and/or water between each tasting

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Our Sensory System

Sense Organ Receptor Stimuli Sensation

Taste Buds 

Taste Cells    

Nose 

Olfactory cells 

   

Skin 

Nerve endings    

Skin 

Skin receptors    

Eyes 

Rods and cones    

Ears 

Hair cells    

 

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Unlocking Flavors

The complexity of taste lies in the fact that its sensation is not exclusively derived from stimuli originating from the taste cells. Taste is a result of stimuli received from ALL of our sense organs.

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Factors affecting taste

GeneticsGenderSubstance useEmotional conditionExperienceFocusAgeDisease, malnutrition, medical treatmentsAdaptation

Elements in Taste

The Building Blocks

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Sensory factors that influence the perception of taste

Color and appearance

Odor or aroma

Taste

Touch

Sound

Texture

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Color and AppearanceEyes see the appearance of food, causing the brain to process information

about taste and texture, before tasting actually occurs.

“The food looks great! Let’s eat.”

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Odor and Aroma

The perception of aroma is much more sensitive, complex and not as well understood as the basic tastes.We can identify 4 basic tastes, but our olfactory cells can identify hundreds, even thousands, of different aromas.

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Touch

Separate and distinct from taste and aroma, nerve endings in the skin (including the mouth and nose) sense various stimuli and send information to the brain.

Touch, or feeling factors, can compliment a food’s taste.

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Sound

We associate sounds with different foods, which assists us in the overall experience of taste.A menu description that “sounds good” can influence our decision to order.The trend of the open kitchen adds to the ambience of a restaurant, influencing our dining experience.

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Texture

Like flavor, texture represents many characteristics evaluated simultaneously.It is more difficult to define each texture individually and specifically.“Mouth-feel”

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Taste

Taste receptors on the surface of the tongue and in skin folds in the mouth receive the stimuli with the aid of salivaThe stimuli are sent to the brain where they are then evaluated

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Four Basic Tastes

Salty

Sweet

Sour

Bitter

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Commonalities of the basic tastes………

Each has its own characteristics

Each plays a specific role in bodily functions and /or in the sensory appeal of food

Each is perceived in a different area of the tongue and mouth (overlaps do occur)

Each can be used to balance another taste

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SALTY

This is the king of all tastes, probably because of its importance in body functionPerceived on the center of the tongueWakes up other tastes, smoothing them outEstimates have us consuming 12,000 times more salt than our Paleolithic ancestors

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SWEET

Sweet is often the first taste to hit the palate and is tasted on the tip of the tongueAll of us are born with a sweet toothAs a carbohydrate, sugar is a fuelSweetness has a tendency to become the backdrop of an overall taste, rounding out sharp tastes

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SOUR

Usually used to support other tastesSourness tends to brighten other flavors, making them more distinctIntense sour tastes are most noticeable on the sides of the tongue

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BITTER

The least desirable of the basic tastes

A way of punctuating, or finishing, a flavor profile

Can help control many strong tastes by bringing the palate to a stop

Most noticeable on the back of the tongue

But we can’t forget about…

UMAMI

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UMAMI

An optional basic taste researched most heavily by the JapaneseA savory taste of meats and other foods rich in amino acids called glutamatesResearch shows that we may actually have receptors in our mouths that are broadly tuned to amino acids