Taste detection threshold

<p>Taste detection threshold is the minimum concentration of a <a href="/facts/Flavour_(taste)/mdB8ysuK">flavoured</a> substance detectable by the <a href="/facts/Sense_of_taste/mdB8ysuK">sense of taste</a>. <a href="/facts/Sweetness/pWt6LlXy">Sweetness</a> detection thresholds are usually measured relative to that of <a href="/facts/Sucrose/7y1ke94L">sucrose</a>, <a href="/facts/Sourness/mdB8ysuK">sourness</a> relative to dilute <a href="/facts/Hydrochloric_acid/HqItJlUT">hydrochloric acid</a>, <a href="/facts/Saltiness/mdB8ysuK">saltiness</a> relative to table salt (<a href="/facts/NaCl/MWcXl3Mb">NaCl</a>), and <a href="/facts/Bitter_(taste)/mdB8ysuK">bitterness</a> to <a href="/facts/Quinine/YMB9QgzM">quinine</a>. These substances have a reference index of 1. Thresholds for bitter substances can be considerably lower than those for other flavoured substances, this may be due to the importance of ingesting large amounts of energy-rich or salty food while avoiding even small quantities of <a href="/facts/Poisonous/XIQjhpsw">poisonous</a> substances, which are often bitter.
</p><p>Variation in sensitivity among individuals plays a role in dietary selection and there is evidence that diet reciprocally affects taste sensitivity. One study found that non-<a href="/facts/Vegetarianism/ryP05yWa">vegetarians</a> had less sensitivity to sweetness while vegetarians had higher sensitivity to <a href="/facts/Caffeine/Hx6E2QC5">caffeine</a>, a bitter substance.
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Taste detection threshold open-in-new

Taste detection threshold