Taste and Nutrition - Part 2

Peer-reviewed | Manuscript received: April 19, 2013 | Revision accepted: May 07, 2013

2. Effects of genetic disposition and environmental factors on taste perception

Taste preferences and aversions determine what we eat and drink and thus considerably impact our health. Following the previous contribution about the physiological basis of taste¹, we now discuss the effects of genetic variability and of environmental factors on taste perception and nutrition. The article to follow will describe the development of preferences and aversions.

Summary

Taste receptor genes, particularly those for bitterness, are subject to extensive genetic variation which generates receptor variants with altered functions ranging from slightly diminished responsiveness to complete lack of function. This causes perceptual differences in the population that are confined to taste sensitivity. Even if it is disputed, the perceptual differences or the responsible genes have been associated with dietary parameters identifying taste as a critical determinant for nutrition and health. The taste system is vice versa under the influence of external factors which can transiently adapt taste to physiological requirements or disturb perception.

Keywords: Taste perception, genetic variability, taste receptors, environmental factors

¹Ernährungs Umschau 07/2013, p. 124–131

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