Effects of hunger, satiety and glucose load upon taste intensity and taste hedonics

Abstract

Subjects rated both the taste intensity and taste pleasantness of 4 compounds representing sweet, salty, sour and bitter, respectively. The typical pleasantness ratings appeared to conform to an inverted L shaped function for sweetness (maximum pleasantness at 1.0 M glucose) and for saltiness, and conformed to a negatively sloping function for citric acid and quinine sulfate. These pleasantness functions appeared robust when testing was performed either after an overnight fast, after breakfast or after lunch, respectively. After a satiating glucose load, however, the pleasantness of glucose taste failed to exhibit a breakpoint at 1.0 M glucose, suggesting that a change occurred in hedonic perception of taste after this exceptionally satiating intake. Satiety seems to influence taste pleasantness, but only to a limited degree, and affects only sweet preferences.