The Complexities of Taste
Paul Stenzel
HRM 224
Fall 2004
Stenzel HRM 224
Lessons in Taste
The Elements of Taste:Exploring the building blocks
Evaluating Sensory Appeal: Identifying characteristics in food
Sensory Evaluation
The process of analyzing, or taking things apart, to evaluate
their flavor composition
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The Process
8 to 12 experts, trained together
Goal: to objectively describe sensory characteristics of food independently of each other
Food products are tasted blind
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Controlling the environment
Must be well-lit
Clean
Well-ventilated
Quiet
Session must be well-directed
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Rules for tasting
No talking. Instead…..TasteWritePrepare to share
Cleanse palate with bread and/or water between each tasting
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Our Sensory System
Sense Organ Receptor Stimuli Sensation
Taste Buds
Taste Cells
Nose
Olfactory cells
Skin
Nerve endings
Skin
Skin receptors
Eyes
Rods and cones
Ears
Hair cells
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Unlocking Flavors
The complexity of taste lies in the fact that its sensation is not exclusively derived from stimuli originating from the taste cells. Taste is a result of stimuli received from ALL of our sense organs.
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Factors affecting taste
GeneticsGenderSubstance useEmotional conditionExperienceFocusAgeDisease, malnutrition, medical treatmentsAdaptation
Elements in Taste
The Building Blocks
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Sensory factors that influence the perception of taste
Color and appearance
Odor or aroma
Taste
Touch
Sound
Texture
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Color and AppearanceEyes see the appearance of food, causing the brain to process information
about taste and texture, before tasting actually occurs.
“The food looks great! Let’s eat.”
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Odor and Aroma
The perception of aroma is much more sensitive, complex and not as well understood as the basic tastes.We can identify 4 basic tastes, but our olfactory cells can identify hundreds, even thousands, of different aromas.
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Touch
Separate and distinct from taste and aroma, nerve endings in the skin (including the mouth and nose) sense various stimuli and send information to the brain.
Touch, or feeling factors, can compliment a food’s taste.
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Sound
We associate sounds with different foods, which assists us in the overall experience of taste.A menu description that “sounds good” can influence our decision to order.The trend of the open kitchen adds to the ambience of a restaurant, influencing our dining experience.
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Texture
Like flavor, texture represents many characteristics evaluated simultaneously.It is more difficult to define each texture individually and specifically.“Mouth-feel”
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Taste
Taste receptors on the surface of the tongue and in skin folds in the mouth receive the stimuli with the aid of salivaThe stimuli are sent to the brain where they are then evaluated
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Four Basic Tastes
Salty
Sweet
Sour
Bitter
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Commonalities of the basic tastes………
Each has its own characteristics
Each plays a specific role in bodily functions and /or in the sensory appeal of food
Each is perceived in a different area of the tongue and mouth (overlaps do occur)
Each can be used to balance another taste
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SALTY
This is the king of all tastes, probably because of its importance in body functionPerceived on the center of the tongueWakes up other tastes, smoothing them outEstimates have us consuming 12,000 times more salt than our Paleolithic ancestors
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SWEET
Sweet is often the first taste to hit the palate and is tasted on the tip of the tongueAll of us are born with a sweet toothAs a carbohydrate, sugar is a fuelSweetness has a tendency to become the backdrop of an overall taste, rounding out sharp tastes
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SOUR
Usually used to support other tastesSourness tends to brighten other flavors, making them more distinctIntense sour tastes are most noticeable on the sides of the tongue
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BITTER
The least desirable of the basic tastes
A way of punctuating, or finishing, a flavor profile
Can help control many strong tastes by bringing the palate to a stop
Most noticeable on the back of the tongue
But we can’t forget about…
UMAMI
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UMAMI
An optional basic taste researched most heavily by the JapaneseA savory taste of meats and other foods rich in amino acids called glutamatesResearch shows that we may actually have receptors in our mouths that are broadly tuned to amino acids
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