• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
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• v.15 no.5
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• pp.670-678
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• 2010

Recognition thresholds for NaCl, sucrose, citric acid, and caffeine, as well as the pleasant concentration of NaCl were assessed in 176 males and 312 females aged 50-88 years. Furthermore, relationships among taste sensitivities, taste preferences, and lifestyles were examined. The taste solutions were presented one after the other in ascending order using the sip-and-spit method. For the recognition thresholds of the 4 basic tastes, women perceived significantly lower concentrations than the men. However, the pleasant concentration of NaCl did not show a gender difference. Sensitivities for the 4 basic tastes did not decrease with age in the men, but they did significantly decrease with age for the women, especially for those above 70 years. For men, regular exercise was positively correlated with sensitivities for sour taste and bitter taste, and physical activity was negatively correlated with the pleasant concentrations of NaCl. For women, who had more physical activity, sensitivities for sweet taste and sour taste were lower compared to the others. This study indicates that the sensitivities for 4 basic tastes in water diminished with age, but pleasant salt concentration did not change with age. Further research on pleasant NaCl concentration is required to determine factors affecting salt preference, in order to decrease salt intake in the elderly.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Culture
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.359-365
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• 2009

The objective of this study was to investigate a method to improve and to increase the utilization of Korean traditional food in middle school students by examining preferences and perceptions. Middle school students in Seoul area were surveyed from 29 November to 6 December 2007. The results are summarized as follows: 83.9% students ate Korean food as breakfast. The reasons for the success of Korean food were 'Nation's traditional food' (29.2%), 'fit in taste' (27.4%), and 'suitable match of nutrients' (24.8%). Students responded that the following needed to be changed in order to improve Korean food: 'alleviation of strong taste' (30.3%), 'various cooking methods' (23.9%), and 'convenience of eating the food' (22.1%). Meal preferences in this survey of middle school students were 'Korean food' (4.09), 'Western food' (4.08), 'Japanese food' (4.00), 'Chinese food' (3.91) and 'Fast food' (3.55). Perceptions in the taste of Korean food were 'spicy taste' (3.28), 'hot taste' (3.22), and 'salty taste' (3.15). Male students (3.23) perceived a higher salty taste than female students (3.05). Expectations for the taste of Korean food included 'spicy taste' (3.16) and hot taste (3.03). Male students (3.25) anticipated the spicier taste more than female students (3.05).

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.6 no.6
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• pp.534-541
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• 2012

This study examined salty taste acuity and salty taste preference and sodium intake in relation to zinc nutritional status in 2 rural populations in Korea. And we also examined the main food contributors of their sodium intakes. We enrolled 218 adults (66 men and 152 women) from the Kangneung and Samcheok regions in Korea's Kangwon province in our study conducted from December 2011 to February 2012. Participants from each region were divided into 3 groups based on their serum zinc level (T1: lowest, T2: intermediate, T3: highest). We compared the salty taste acuity and preference, Na index (Dish Frequency Questionnaire for estimation of habitual sodium intake), blood pressure, and intakes of nutrients including sodium by 3 groups of serum zinc level. The results were as follows: a higher serum zinc level indicated a lower sodium intake and Na index (P<0.05). The salty taste acuity was considerably higher for participants from the Kangneung region than those from the Samcheok region (P<0.05). And the serum zinc level was significantly higher in participants from the Kangneung region than those from the Samcheok region (P<0.05). We further divided the participants into 2 groups: those who consumed more zinc than the recommended intake (RI) and the others. We compared salty taste acuity and salty taste preference in the 2 groups. The salty taste threshold and palatable salty taste concentrations were lower for the group with a zinc intake above RI than for the group with zinc intake below the RI. However, the difference was not significant. This study confirms that taste function differs depending on zinc nutritional status. In future, it is required to a large-scale, long-term, prospective study on the correlation between zinc intake, serum zinc levels, and taste perception function and blood pressure.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.449-453
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• 1992

We investigated main effective taste components and optimization of taste component composition in traditional Korean soybean paste. In optimization of taste components the original data with 19 kinds of taste components which is consisted of bitter taste transformed with square root could explain the taste up to 78% (contributing proportion of leucine was 14.7%, isoleucine 12.7%, methionine 5.0%, higtidine 4.7% and arginine 1.1%), palatable taste (cysteine 8.4%, aspartic acid 2.0% and glutamic acid 0.7%), sweet taste (threonine 6.3%, serine 5.6%, sucrose 4.7%, glycine 1.6%, lysine 1.2％, fructose 0.6%, alanine 0.4% and glucose 0.3%), sour taste (oxalic acid 3.9% and succinic-fumaric-citric acid 3.6%) and saline taste (ash 0. 3%). In order to optimize the taste of traditional soybean paste, the constitution of taste components was analysed by multiple regression between the original data transformed with square root sensory scores of the soybean paste. This way explained the sensory evaluation best score.

• International Journal of Oral Biology
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• v.41 no.1
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• pp.25-32
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• 2016

The tongue has 4 kinds of papillae, which are filiform, fungiform (FU), foliate (FO) and circumvallate papilla (CV). Tongue papillae except filiform papilla include taste buds. The papillae differ in taste sensitivities, likely due to differential expression of taste receptors. In this study, we evaluated differences in the expression levels of taste receptors in FU, FO and CV. Male DBA2 mice, 42-60 days old, were used in the study. Messenger RNAs were extracted from the murine epithelial tissues including FU, FO and CV. Cloned DNAs were synthesized by reverse transcription. Quantitative PCRs (qPCRs) were performed to determine mRNA expression levels of taste receptors. Results of qPCR revealed that the relative expression levels and patterns were different among FU, FO and CV. All three type 1 taste receptors were expressed FU, FO and CV at varying relative expression levels. All 35 kinds of type 2 taste receptors showed higher expression in FO and CV than in FU. Tas2r108 and Tas2r137 showed the two highest expression levels in all tested papillae. The differential expression levels and patterns of taste receptors among the three papillae could contribute to the different physiological sensitivities by tongue areas. Additional studies such as in situ hybridization or taste receptor cell activity recording is necessary to elucidate the functional relationship between expression levels of taste receptors and taste sensitivity.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.41 no.2
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• pp.184-191
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• 2008

The purpose of this study was to assess and evaluate salty taste preferences. Samples for the salty taste test were made by adding sodium chloride to soybean sprout soup at five different concentrations: 0.08% (unsalty) ; 0.16% (slightly unsalty) ; 0.31% (neither unsalty nor salty) ; 0.63% (slightly salty) ; and 1.25% (salty). Over 4,210 subjects were randomly selected and tested over a three-year period from 2005 to 2007 in Daegu. The results of the taste test were as follows: Forty-five percent of the subjects preferred soup with a salty taste and slightly salty taste. Most subjects preferred soup with a 0.31% concentration of sodium chloride. There were positive relationships between intensity and preference in 0.08%, 0.16%, and 0.31% concentrations, but there were negative relationships between intensity and preference in 0.63% and 1.25% concentrations (p<0.01). Upon examining a relationship between the taste assessment results and salty eating attitude scores, it was found that the subjects who preferred slightly salty and salty taste showed higher total scores in terms of habitual preference for/enjoyment of eating salty foods than the other groups. Comparing the taste test results with the subjects' stated preference, it was found that 70.3% of the subjects who were classified as preferring salty taste recognized this preference and 53.3% of the subjects who were classified into the population than tends to eat slightly salty food responded that they also tend to prefer a salty taste. Based on these results, this salty taste assessment study can be used as a practical and useful nutrition education tool for assessing and possibly reducing salt intake.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.41-46
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• 2019

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Taste perception is influenced by both nutritional factors and psychological factors. This study was undertaken to measure the 4 basic taste perceptions, nutrient intake, and mental health, and to examine the factors that affect insensitive taste perception in young Japanese women. SUBJECTS/METHODS: Young women in their late teens and twenties were enrolled as subjects. Taste perception was measured by applying the filter-paper disc method over areas of the chorda tympani nerve. Nutritional status was evaluated using brief, self-administered diet history questionnaires. The index of nutritional status was based on the 2015 Japanese dietary reference intakes. Mental health was assessed using the Japanese translation of the Profile of Mood States short version. This study was approved by the ethical committee at Osaka University. RESULTS: The normal taste perception group (four basic tastes [sweet, salty, sour, and bitter] identified as normal taste perception) comprised 55.4% of the subjects, while the abnormal taste perception group (more than 1 abnormal taste perception was perceived, regardless of flavor) comprised 44.6% of the subjects. There were no significant differences in nutrient intake (except manganese) and mental health between the normal and abnormal taste perception groups. Subjects who took 5 mg to less than 7.1 mg zinc per day were at significantly decreased risk of insensitive taste perception compared to subjects who consumed less than 5 mg zinc per day [Regression coefficient 0.831, 95% confidence interval 0.694-0.996]. CONCLUSION: The present results suggest that insensitive taste perception could be associated with zinc deficiency in young women in their late teens and twenties.

• Korean journal of food and cookery science
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.13-19
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• 1995

The purpose of this study was to investigate the method of making whole Chinese cabbage Kimchi, the family's taste in Kimchi and the reason for disliking the taste of Kimchi in the Taegu area. The results were as follows; 1) Most housewives learned the method of making the Kimchi from their mothers. Method was as follows; First, scatter salt on the whole Chinese cabbage and soak that for 3∼6 hours. After, wash the whole Chinese cabbage 3 times. Then, add red pepper powder, garlic, ginger and salted fermented anchovy as basic seasoning. Be sure to, mix the red pepper powder and salted fermented anchovy until they taste hot and salty. Store the whole Chinese cabbage until they ferment. Afterwards store the whole Chinese cabbage in the refrigerator. 2) It was the whole Chinese cabbage Kimchi that most family members preferred. 3) Among the family members, the old age group preferred newly made Kimchi because of the cool and fresh taste. The adult group preferred fresh taste, also smell and peculiar taste of the seasoning were important. The adolescent group preferred fresh taste and sour taste. 4) It shows that most of the family likes Kimchi, and among the family members, about 25% of the sons and daughters dislike Kimchi. And it shows that all family members dislike salty taste. 5) The older housewives’ Kimchi was preferred over the younger housewives’ Kimchi.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.285-287
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• 1985

To investigate effective constituents of the many taste components in ordinary Korean soy sauce, we analyzed free amino acids, organic acids, free sugars and saline as taste components in ordinary Korean soy sauce, and determined sensory score of the ordinary Korean soy sauce taste with 45 persons of the trained pannels. The relationships between original data transformed with variables and sensory score of the ordinary Korean soy sauce were analyzed by stepwise multiple regression analysis. Eighty five percents of the ordinary Korean soy sauce taste is affected by twenty one kinds (Isoleucine, Leucine, Valine, NaCl, Lactic acid, Alanine, Phenylalanine, Tartaric acid, Sugar(\ulcorner), Proline, Malic acid, Glycine, Tryptophan, Arginine, Glutaric acid, Maltose, Histidine, Glucose, Fructose and Serine) of the taste components by stepwise multiple regression analysis of original data. Eighty one percents of the ordinary Korean soy sance taste is affected by sixteen kinds (Lactic acid, NaCl, Fumaric.Succinic acid, Tyrosine, Tartaric acid, Glycine, Malonic acid, Malic acid, Tryptophan, Glutaric acid, Methionine, Histidine, Cysteine, Maltose, Fructose and (Glutamic acid) of the taste components by stepwise multiple frgression analysis of original data transformed with square root. Eighty five percents of the ordinary Korean soy sauce taste is affected by nineteen kinds (Fumaric.Succinic acid, Lactic acid, Phenylalanine, NaCl, Tyrosine, Sugar(\ulcorner), Tartaric acid, Leucine, Glutaric acid, Methionine, Glycine, Tryptophan, Histidine, Proline, Cysteine, Glutamic acid, Maltose, Threonine and Oxalic acid) of the taste components by stepwise multiple regression analysis of original data transformed with logarithm.

• Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.89-105
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• 1980

Soysauce was made in the salt concentrations of 22.0% and 28.5%, and the changing aspects in nucleotides and their related compounds, free amino acids, free sugars and non-volatile amines which are related to the taste components during the fermentation process with a view to examining the taste components in the ordinary Korean soysauce were studied. And then artificial soysauce was prepared by applying the values derived from the analysis and measurement, and its sensory evaluation was performed. As the result of the sensory evaluation of artificial soysauce prepared according to the value of components analyzed from soysauce which had been fermented for fourty days in the salt concentration of 22.0%, it has been found that artificial soysauce was similar in taste to ordinary Korean soysauce. So, the following facts have been found: glutamic acid and aspartic acid have MSG-like taste, and IMP has a synergistic effect with these acids, which play great roles in ordinary Korean soysauce; both free sugars such as galactose and amino acids such as glycine, alanine and lysine have sweet taste; both amines such as tyramine and histamine, and amino acids such as valine, leucine, isoleucine, and phenylalanine have bitter taste; these components, combined with saline taste of salt and sour taste of organic acids, are assumed to form the unique taste in the ordinary Korean soysauce.