Taste Preference and Taste Perception of Korean Elderly

한국노인의 맛 선호도와 맛 감지도에 관한 연구

To investigate the changes of taste perception by aging, sixty one healthy elderly people and sixty five young adults were participated in the study. Most preferred levels of salt sour and sweet taste were chosen in bean sprout soup radish salad and yaksing respectively. Threshold levels of each taste were also chosen in NaCl solution for salt taste in citric acid solution for sour taste and in sucrose solution for salt taste, in citric acid solution for sour taste and in sucrose solution for sweet taste. The results are as follow: 1.Most preferred salt concentration in bean sprout soup was significantly higher in the elderly than in the young adults(p$\leq$0.001). There was no difference in sour taste preference of radish salad in both age groups. Most preferred sweetness in yacksig was significantly higher in both elderly men and women(p$\leq$0.001) 2. Threshold levels of salt and sweet taste were significantly higher in the elderly (p$\leq$0.001) However there was no difference in threshold level of sour taste in both age groups.