Interaction of taste-active nutrients with taste receptors

To preserve food, traditional technologies used in food processing generate umami and Kokumi taste peptides. Currently, the mechanism by which taste-active peptides modulate several primary taste qualities has not been delineated. Receptor binding studies indicate that umami taste peptides produce multiple effects on bitter, and sweet taste by directly binding to the taste receptors. Kokumi taste peptides formed during maturation of soy sauce modulate amiloride-insensitive salt responses in human and animal models in a biphasic manner. Currently, the cells and the amiloride-insensitive salt taste receptors that are targeted by Kokumi taste peptides remain elusive.