Heterogeneous binary interactions of taste primaries: Perceptual outcomes, physiology, and future directions
Abstract
Complex taste experiences arise from the combinations of five taste primaries. Here we review the literature on binary interactions of heterogeneous taste primaries, focusing on perceptual results of administering mixtures of aqueous solutions to human participants. Some interactions proved relatively consistent across tastants and experimental methods: sour acids enhanced saltiness, salts and sweeteners suppressed bitterness, sweeteners suppressed sourness, and sour acids enhanced bitterness. However, for the majority of interactions there were differential effects based on the tastants and their concentrations. Drawing conclusions about interactions with umami is currently not possible due to the low number of primary source studies investigating it and the confounding sodium ions in monosodium glutamate (MSG). Speculative physiological explanations are provided that fit the current data and suggestions for future research studies are proposed.
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Salt generally suppresses sweet taste, but the effect of salt is concentration-dependent.
“However, they found that salt generally suppresses sweet taste, but that, as with Keast and Breslin [113], the e ect of salt was concentration-dependent.”
From The Role of Intrinsic and Extrinsic Sensory Factors in Sweetness Perception of Food and Beverages: A Review (2019) · cites this paper as [119]
Only a few studies have investigated the interaction between sweetness and umami, and the results are thus far inconclusive.
“Only a few studies have investigated the interaction between sweetness and umami, and the results are, thus far, inconclusive [113,119].”
From The Role of Intrinsic and Extrinsic Sensory Factors in Sweetness Perception of Food and Beverages: A Review (2019) · cites this paper as [119]
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References 139 · Cited by 46
- Authors
- Wilkie, L. M., & Capaldi Phillips, E. D.
- Affiliations
- Arizona State University (US)
- Corresponding author
- Wilkie, Lynn M.
- Venue
- Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2014-11
- Volume
- 47
- Pages
- 70-86
- ISSN
- 0149-7634 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2094892283
- Cited by
- 46
- References
- 139
- Citations by year
- 2026: 3 · 2025: 3 · 2024: 5 · 2023: 4 · 2022: 3 · 2021: 3 · 2020: 5 · 2019: 4 · 2018: 4 · 2017: 4 · 2016: 2 · 2015: 5 · 2012: 1
- FWCI
- 0.42
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Nursing › Nutrition and Dietetics › Biochemical Analysis and Sensing Techniques
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Sensory Systems › Olfactory and Sensory Function Studies
- Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Food Science › Sensory Analysis and Statistical Methods
- Keywords
- taste interaction, sour taste, salty taste, bitterness, sweetness, umami, monosodium glutamate, taste perception, taste physiology, concentration effects
- MeSH terms
- Humans, Neural Pathways, Taste, Taste Perception
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