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1996•Chemical SensesOpen access

Are the Tastes of Polycose and Monosodium Glutamate Unique?

Thomas P. Hettinger, Marion E. Frank, Walter E. Myers

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Abstract

To study whether Polycose and monosodium L-glutamate (L-MSG) have unique tastes differing from the traditional four basic tastes, chemosensory profiles were established for Polycose, L-MSG and a group of related compounds (sucrose, maltose, monosodium D-glutamate (D-MSG), sodium chloride, calcium chloride). Flavors were assessed using whole-mouth tests in human subjects with nose open or clamped to reduce olfactory input. Polycose (a mixture of glucose-based oligosaccharides) had a flavor consisting of an olfactory component and a maltose-like taste. L-MSG and D-MSG profiles differed from each other, and from NaCl and CaCl2. L-MSG had a lower threshold and a higher frequency of 'other' tastes than the D form. The data do not support a 'polysaccharide' taste, but suggest a chiral receptor site for 'umami' taste.

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To study whether Polycose and monosodium L-glutamate (L-MSG) have unique tastes differing from the traditional four basic tastes, chemosensory profiles were established for Polycose, L-MSG and a group of related compounds (sucrose, maltose, monosodium D-glutamate (D-MSG), sodium chloride, calcium chloride). Flavors were assessed using whole-mouth tests in human subjects with nose open or clamped to reduce olfactory input. Polycose (a mixture of glucose-based oligosaccharides) had a flavor consisting of an olfactory component and a maltose-like taste. L-MSG and D-MSG profiles differed from each other, and from NaCl and CaCl2. L-MSG had a lower threshold and a higher frequency of 'other' tastes than the D form. The data do not support a 'polysaccharide' taste, but suggest a chiral receptor site for 'umami' taste.

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Available abstract

To study whether Polycose and monosodium L-glutamate (L-MSG) have unique tastes differing from the traditional four basic tastes, chemosensory profiles were established for Polycose, L-MSG and a group of related compounds (sucrose, maltose, monosodium D-glutamate (D-MSG), sodium chloride, calcium chloride). Flavors were assessed using whole-mouth tests in human subjects with nose open or clamped to reduce olfactory input. Polycose (a mixture of glucose-based oligosaccharides) had a flavor consisting of an olfactory component and a maltose-like taste. L-MSG and D-MSG profiles differed from each other, and from NaCl and CaCl2. L-MSG had a lower threshold and a higher frequency of 'other' tastes than the D form. The data do not support a 'polysaccharide' taste, but suggest a chiral receptor site for 'umami' taste.

Key concepts: Monosodium glutamate, Umami, Taste, Food science, Chemistry, Flavor, Sodium Glutamate, Sucrose

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