Variation in bitter and fat taste sensitivity associated with body mass index and discrimination of a fatty food in central Mexican populations

IF 5.9 1区农林科学 Q1 FOOD SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

Food Quality and Preference Pub Date : 2026-02-01 Epub Date: 2025-10-29 DOI:10.1016/j.foodqual.2025.105775

Ana Luisa Gutiérrez-Salomón , Victoria Guadalupe Aguilar-Raymundo , Máximo Eduardo Sánchez-Gutiérrez , Jahir Antonio Barajas-Ramírez

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Human sensitivity to the bitter taste of 6-n-propylthiouracil (PROP) varies across populations and correlates with obesity measures like body mass index (BMI). PROP sensitivity has been considered as an indicator of general taste sensitivity and, together with the ability to detect the fatty stimuli, could determine the capacity of people to identify differences in fat content of bitter-fatty foods and therefore operational food preferences.

In this study, 185 adults from two Central Mexican populations were assessed for bitter and fat taste sensitivity using PROP and linoleic acid (LA) as stimuli. Participants underwent a 2-Alternative Forced Choice (2-AFC) test with chocolates containing 14 % and 17 % fat, and a Take-Away test to evaluate operative food preferences. BMI was calculated from weight and height measurements.

The distribution of PROP sensitivity among participants was 18 % non-tasters, 66 % tasters, and 16 % supertasters, with no significant differences observed by population, sex, or BMI. Regarding LA sensitivity, 24 % were non-tasters, 63 % medium tasters, and 12 % tasters. A significant correlation between BMI and LA detection thresholds was found among obese men (r = 0.578, P < 0.05), but not in women (r = 0.322, PNS). Regional differences in the proportions of LA non-tasters were observed (χ²_(2,0.05) = 8.52; P < 0.05).

Despite differences in taste sensitivity, participants were generally unable to identify the fattier chocolate in the 2-AFC test, although most showed a clear preference for the fattier option in the Take-Away test (d’ = 0.38, P < 0.01). These findings suggest that taste sensitivity alone does not determine fat preference and other factors may influence the inclination toward fattier foods.

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墨西哥中部人群中与体重指数相关的苦味和脂肪味敏感性的变化以及对脂肪食物的辨别

人类对6-n-丙基硫脲嘧啶（PROP）苦味的敏感性因人群而异，并与体重指数（BMI）等肥胖指标相关。PROP敏感性被认为是一般味觉敏感性的一个指标，与检测脂肪刺激的能力一起，可以确定人们识别苦味脂肪食物中脂肪含量差异的能力，从而确定操作性食物偏好。在这项研究中，来自两个墨西哥中部人群的185名成年人使用PROP和亚油酸（LA）作为刺激，评估了他们对苦味和脂肪的敏感度。参与者接受了2-Alternative Forced Choice （2-AFC）测试，分别使用脂肪含量为14%和17%的巧克力，以及评估手术食物偏好的外卖测试。BMI是根据体重和身高来计算的。参与者中PROP敏感性的分布为18%的非味觉者、66%的味觉者和16%的超级味觉者，在人群、性别或BMI方面没有观察到显著差异。关于LA敏感性，24%为非品尝者，63%为中等品尝者，12%为品尝者。BMI与LA检测阈值在肥胖男性中存在显著相关性（r = 0.578, P < 0.05），而在女性中无显著相关性（r = 0.322， PNS）。LA非品酒者所占比例存在地区差异(χ2(2,0.05) = 8.52；P < 0.05)。尽管味觉敏感度存在差异，但参与者通常无法在2-AFC测试中识别出更油腻的巧克力，尽管大多数人在外卖测试中明显倾向于更油腻的选择（d ' = 0.38, P < 0.01）。这些发现表明，味觉敏感度本身并不能决定人们对脂肪的偏好，其他因素可能会影响人们对高脂肪食物的偏好。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

Food Quality and Preference 工程技术-食品科技

CiteScore

10.40

自引率

15.10%

发文量

263

审稿时长

38 days

期刊介绍： Food Quality and Preference is a journal devoted to sensory, consumer and behavioural research in food and non-food products. It publishes original research, critical reviews, and short communications in sensory and consumer science, and sensometrics. In addition, the journal publishes special invited issues on important timely topics and from relevant conferences. These are aimed at bridging the gap between research and application, bringing together authors and readers in consumer and market research, sensory science, sensometrics and sensory evaluation, nutrition and food choice, as well as food research, product development and sensory quality assurance. Submissions to Food Quality and Preference are limited to papers that include some form of human measurement; papers that are limited to physical/chemical measures or the routine application of sensory, consumer or econometric analysis will not be considered unless they specifically make a novel scientific contribution in line with the journal''s coverage as outlined below.