The Genetics Behind Taste And Flavour Perception

 Future food:

We all have been hearing stories since childhood about how advanced humans will be in the future. There’ll be no need for cooking, just one pill will provide all the necessary nutrients and power.

Yes, it's true that humans will be more advanced than they are today but their love for cooking will never fade away. We already have pills and powder being taken as supplements, but no pill or gel can replace the real food. Craving for good food will always be a part of human nature. Humans have already been to space, and now are able to spend 6 months at a time on the International Space Station. Neither they prepare their meals there, nor they take food pills. Instead, they have a formulated category of food that's specially prepared to provide taste and nutrition

Sensorial delight:

In today’s stressful world, there are very few things that we enjoy. Eating tasty food is one among those. We rely solely on food to give us pleasure and nutrition. Chocolates, cream biscuits, burgers, french fries, cold drinks and ice cream can bring joy and happy feelings to all of us. Our food preference depends on multiple factors but one thing is constant and that is taste. Which is why, invoking sensorial delight becomes an important objective for bakery and confectionery flavours manufacturers.

Sensory/organoleptic properties:

These properties are perceived by human senses - appearance, taste, texture. The human tongue can perceive 5 main tastes, sweetness, saltiness, sourness, umami and bitterness. Our olfactory receptor can sense limitless aromas. Our perception of the flavour of a particular food is the result of a combination of various tastes and aromas, coupled with texture and temperature.

Supertasters:

The ability to perceive a taste or flavour varies from person to person. It may depend on genetics, memories, hypersensitivity to flavours or medical condition. Those with hypersensitivity to flavours are referred to as supertasters. Approximately, a quarter of the population is believed to be supertasters, while the other quarter to be non-tasters. The rest of the population are thought to be medium tasters. According to a study, there are more female supertasters than male.

Understanding supertasters’ taste buds:

Our ability to taste bitter compounds is a result of evolutionary processes because many times bitterness in plants or fruits indicated the presence of toxic compounds. Broccoli, Brussels sprouts, and cauliflower are healthy vegetables, but supertasters tend to avoid any of these because they have a bitter flavour. Supertasters may often use extra salt, sugar and fat to mask the bitterness of food items.

Genetic factors affect flavour sensation:

Researchers have discovered that our olfactory receptors are located in the region where higher genetic variations take place. Slightest variation can change the shape of these receptors, resulting in a difference in taste perception and aroma.

Bottom line:

We have just begun to understand how genes can alter our perception of taste and smell, and how this affects our food preferences. Thorough research can help food flavouring companies understand how various genes combine and influence our sensorial perception and dietary intake. Another important area of research can be to understand that by modifying our taste genes, can we change our food preferences into consuming healthier foods.