Detection of Bitterness in Vitamins Is Mediated by the Activation of Bitter Taste Receptors.

Vitamins are known to generate bitterness, which may contribute to an off-taste or aftertaste for some nutritional supplements. This negative sensation can lead to a reduction in their consumption. Little is known about the bitter taste threshold and taste sensing system for the bitter taste detection of vitamins. To better understand the mechanisms involved in bitterness perception, we combined taste receptor functional assays and sensory analysis. In humans, bitter taste detection is mediated by 25 G-protein-coupled receptors belonging to the TAS2R family. First, we studied the bitterness of thirteen vitamins using a cellular-based functional taste receptor assay. We found four vitamins that can stimulate one or more TAS2Rs. For each positive molecule-receptor combination, we tested seven increasing concentrations to determine the half-maximal effective concentration (EC50) and the cellular bitter taste threshold. Second, we measured the bitter taste detection threshold for four vitamins that exhibit a strong bitter taste using a combination of ascending series and sensory difference tests. A combination of sensory and biological data can provide useful results that explain the perception of vitamin bitterness and its real contribution to the off-taste of nutritional supplements.

Characterizing the Dynamic Taste and Retro-Nasal Aroma Properties of Oral Nutritional Supplements Using Temporal Dominance of Sensation and Temporal Check-All-That-Apply Methods.

Orally Disintegrating Tablets (ODTs) are used to restore the nutritional status of people suffering from swallowing pathologies such as dysphagia. ODTs are consumed without water intake and are easily swallowed. The main active compounds of ODTs are vitamins and minerals. These nutrients can have a bad taste or aftertaste, which can be masked by sweetening or flavoring. To ensure the effectiveness of masking strategies and to prescribe a product to patients with acceptable sensory qualities, it is essential to perform a precise and complete sensory characterization of these ODTs. Temporal dominance of sensations (TDS) and temporal check-all-that-apply (TCATA) methods were chosen to characterize the temporal sensory perceptions during the consumption of four ODTs varying in galenic forms and flavoring because of their particularly acute temporality in flavor perception. The ODTs presented common and individual sensory properties, mainly related to their galenic form and to the nature of the active ingredients. The use of a nose-clip to stop retro-nasal airflow showed that flavoring had a minimal impact on the sensory taste qualities of the ODTs. A comparison between the TDS and TCATA results indicates that these tests are capable of providing complementary information on the dynamic sensory qualities of the products studied. Although results were generally similar for both methods, TDS showed a greater number of differences in sensory taste attribute, whereas TCATA was more discriminating. These methods allowed for a better understanding of the evolution of sensory perceptions of these ODTs during their consumption, which could help to optimize masking strategies and develop new products with acceptable sensory properties.

A conserved odorant binding protein is required for essential amino acid detection in Drosophila.

Animals need to detect in the food essential amino acids that they cannot synthesize. We found that the odorant binding protein OBP19b, which is highly expressed in Drosophila melanogaster taste sensilla, is necessary for the detection of several amino acids including the essential l-phenylalanine. The recombinant OBP19b protein was produced and characterized for its binding properties: it stereoselectively binds to several amino acids. Using a feeding-choice assay, we found that OBP19b is necessary for detecting l-phenylalanine and l-glutamine, but not l-alanine or D-phenylalanine. We mapped the cells expressing OBP19b and compared the electrophysiological responses of a single taste sensillum to several amino acids: OBP19b mutant flies showed a reduced response compared to control flies when tested to preferred amino acids, but not to the other ones. OBP19b is well conserved in phylogenetically distant species suggesting that this protein is necessary for detection of specific amino acids in insects.

Taste Perception of Nutrients Found in Nutritional Supplements: A Review.

Nutritional supplements are prescribed when one's nutritional status is not conducive to good health. These foodstuffs constitute concentrated sources of nutrients such as vitamins, minerals, amino acids, and fatty acids. For nutritional supplements to be effective, patients must consume the amount that has been prescribed for the recommended period of time. Therefore, special attention must be given to the sensory attributes of these products. Indeed, the presence of active compounds can cause an off-taste or aftertaste. These negative sensations can lead to a reduction in the consumption of nutritional supplements and reduce the effectiveness of the treatment. In this manuscript, we provide an overview of the sensory characteristics and the sensing receptor mechanism of the main compounds present in oral nutritional supplements, such as amino acids, minerals, fatty acids, and vitamins. Part of this article is devoted to the development of new masking strategies and the corresponding potential influence at the industrial level.