• The Korean Journal of Food And Nutrition
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• v.35 no.6
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• pp.531-536
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• 2022

Umami taste-yielding foods, such as, Joseonganjang, dried anchovies, dried shiitake, dried Konbu (kelp), and Yukjeot, are widely used in the Korean cuisine as soup base. While Umami taste enhancement related to Kokumi taste substances has been proposed in human sensory studies, the potential action of Kokumi taste substances has not been explored on calcium-sensing receptors (CaSR), here referred to as Kokumi taste receptors. In this study, we investigated the effect of Umami taste-yielding foods on Kokumi taste receptors using cells expressing human CaSR. We monitored the temporal changes in intracellular Ca²⁺ in HEK293T cells expressing CaSR in response to aqueous extract of Joseonganjang, dried anchovies, dried shiitake, dried Konbu, and Yukjeot. Kokumi substances tested-glutathione and γ-Glu-Val-Gly- evoked intracellular Ca²⁺ influx in a concentration-dependent manner. A similar increment of intracellular Ca²⁺ influx was induced by Joseonganjang, Yukjeot, and dried anchovies, but not by dried shiitake and dried Konbu. Only Joseonganjang- and Yukjeot-evoked intracellular Ca²⁺ influx was significantly reduced by NPS 2143, a CaSR-specific antagonist. These data indicated that some Umami substances/Umami-yielding materials could activate CaSR, but this property was not observed for all the Umami tasting substances.

• International Journal of Oral Biology
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.49-52
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• 2009

Perception of sweet compounds is important for animals to detect external carbohydrate source of calories and plays a crucial role in feeding behavior of animals. Recent progress in molecular genetic studies provides evidence for a candidate receptor (heterodimers with taste receptor type 1 member 2 and 3: T1R2/T1R3), and major downstream transduction molecules required for sweet taste signaling. Several studies demonstrated that the sweet taste signal can be modulated by a satiety hormone, leptin, through its receptors expressed in a subset of sweet-sensitive taste cells. Increase of internal energy storage in the adipose tissue leads to increase in the plasma leptin level which can reduce activities of sweet-sensitive cells. In human, thus, diurnal variation of plasma leptin level parallels variation of taste recognition thresholds for sweet compounds. This leptin modulation of sweet taste sensitivity may influence individuals' preference, ingestive behavior, and absorption of nutrients, thereby plays important roles in regulation of energy homeostasis.

• Journal of the East Asian Society of Dietary Life
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.87-94
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• 1994

The conditions of water extraction form the dried jujube (Zizyphus jujuba) were examined. The general components, taste, and effect of taste correction of jujube water extract concentrate (JWEC) were investigated. desirable condition for extraction was that 100g of dried jujube was added to 750$m\ell$ of water and heated for 80 minutes at 100$^{\circ}C$. The yield of JWEC was 50% and the manin component of it was sugar (90%). The major taste of JWEC was sweetness, and it had astringent, bitter, sour and salty tastes as incidental taste. The taste was changed to desirable taste when 15% of JWEC was added to coffee, 10% of JWEC was added to fermented soy sauce, thick soypaste mixed with red pepper, and vinegar, respectively.

• International Journal of Oral Biology
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• v.43 no.3
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• pp.113-121
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• 2018

Taste is closely related to intake of food. Taste perception is also influenced by type of food ingested, and nutrition and health status. Bitter taste plays an important role in the survival of human and animals to avoid probable toxic and harmful substances. Vertebrate animals recognize bitter taste through type 2 taste receptors (T2Rs). Several T2Rs have been expressed extra-oral such as the gastrointestinal tract, respiratory tract, urogenital tract, brain and immune cells, and parts of their functions are being revealed. This review will discuss physiological roles of T2Rs in relation to innate immunity, secretion and smooth muscle contraction expressed in extra-oral cells and tissues, and we summarize relationships between polymorphisms in T2Rs and general or oral diseases. It is not a coincidence that animals pay much genetic costs for taste and smell during evolution.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Culture
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.63-69
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• 1997

This study was carried out in order to analyzed the changes in nitrogen containing taste compounds of three different types of traditional Korean soy sauce with varing ripening period, and to investigates correlation between sensory characteristics and taste compounds contents via contents assay and sensory evaluation of soy sauce samples. Total nitrogen, ammonia type nitrogen and amino type nitrogen contents showed the highest value in Kyupjang. 17 kinds of free amino acid was detected in Chungjangs and 16 kinds of free amino acid was detected in Kyupjang. Nucleotides and their related compounds detected were hypoxanthin, xanthin, IMP, AMP, Inosine, ADP. Free amino acid and nucleotides and their related compounds contents were highest in Kyupjang. Nitrogen related compounds content of high concentration soy sauce ripened over 150 days increased similarly with Kyupjang. In the sensory evaluation of soy sauce taste, Chungjang samples acquired the highest score in the offensive taste test while Kyupjang marked highest score for sweet taste, nutty taste, taste preference. High concentration soy sauce ripend over 150 days yielded the result similar to that of Kyupjang. Sweet taste showed positive correlation with nitrogen compounds. The materials that showed positive correlation with nutty and traditional soy sauce taste and taste preference were nitrogen compound, IMP, AMP. Except for tryptophan, all free amino acid showed positive correlation with nutty and traditional soy sauce taste. Particulary, taste preference correlated to lysine, aspartic acid and glutamic acid.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.43 no.2
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• pp.132-140
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• 2010

High sodium intake is one of the risk factors for the development of hypertension. According to 2007 Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, sodium intake of Korean was three times higher than adequate intake (1.5 g/day) recommended by Korean Dietary Reference Intakes. High sodium intake is related to high threshold and preference of salty taste. And zinc status is known to affect taste acuity. The hypothesis of this study is that zinc status is associated with salty taste acuity, preference, sodium intake and blood pressure. The subjects included in this study were 50 men and 41 women aged 20-29 y who did not smoke and not take supplements or medications regularly. Dietary intake data for 3 days were collected by 24-h recall for 1 day and dietary record for 2-days. Salty taste acuity and preference were determined by sensory test. Fasting serum concentration of zinc, height, weight, body composition and blood pressure data were collected. Salt taste preference in high zinc intake group ($\geq$ estimated average requirement, EAR; men-8.1 mg/day, women-7 mg/day) was higher than that in low zinc intake group (< EAR). Salty taste preference was inversely correlated with serum zinc concentration in people with low concentration of serum zinc (${\leqq}\;81\;{\mu}g/dL$)(r = -0.3520, p < 0.05). Diastolic blood pressure was higher in high sodium intake group than in low sodium intake group (p < 0.05), positively correlated with salty taste preference (r = 0.3866, p < 0.05) in subjects with daily zinc intake below the EAR. We conclude that low zinc status may be related to high salty taste preference and high blood pressure in Korean young adults.

• Journal of the East Asian Society of Dietary Life
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• v.14 no.6
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• pp.598-607
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• 2004

This study was conducted to examine the sensory characteristics and the contents of proximate composition and the free sugars of the Demi-glace with varying quantity of Omija extracts added. First, the qualities of Demi-glace sauces with varying quantity of Omija extracts added are as follows: (1) Proximate composition: The moisture content was 66.10～73.50%, and crude ash content was 1.59～1.89%. As the Omija extracts added increased, moisture content increased, whereas crude ash content decreased. The crude protein content was 6.12～7.95%. Among them, the one with the 2% Omija added showed the highest level of the crude protein. (2) Free sugars contents: In terms of total sugar contents, the control showed 1.32% and Omija sauces showed 1.44～1.55%. Major free sugars analyzed in the order of fructose, oligosaccharide, glucose and sucrose. Second, the results of sensory evaluation of Demi-glace sauces with the different levels of Omija added are as follows: (1) The preference of Demi-glace sauces according to occupation: Students and Cooks liked the one with the 2% Omija added in terms of color, flavor, taste, texture and overall acceptability. Cooks showed higher preference than students. (2) The preference of 5 tastes: It was found that Demi-glace sauce with the 2% Omija added was the best. The one with the 2% Omija added was suitable in terms of sweet taste and bitter taste and the one with the 3% Omija added was desirable for hot taste and saline taste. In terms of sour taste, the one with 1% Omija added was regarded as the most desirable one. (3) The preference for authentic tastes for Demi-glace sauce: In terms of simple taste, females showed higher preference than males. Demi-glace sauce with the 2% Omija added was found to be the best for savory taste, flavor enhancer taste, simple taste, after taste and overall acceptability. The one with the 1 % Omija added was regarded as the best for soft taste.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.41 no.7
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• pp.646-652
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• 2018

Neurodegeneration can result in memory loss in the central nervous system (CNS) and impairment of taste and smell in the peripheral nervous system (PNS). The neurodegeneration seen in Parkinson's disease (PD) is characterized by functional loss of dopaminergic neurons. Recent studies have also found a role for dopaminergic neurons in regulating taste memory rewards in insects. To investigate how taste memories and sugar sensitivity can be affected in PD, we utilized the $DJ-1{\beta}$ mutant fruit fly, $DJ-1{\beta}^{ex54}$, as a PD model. We performed binary choice feeding assays, electrophysiology and taste-mediated memory tests to explore the function of the $DJ-1{\beta}$ gene in terms of sugar sensitivity as well as associative taste memory. We found that PD flies exhibited an impaired ability to discriminate sucrose across a range of sugar concentrations, with normal responses at only very high concentrations of sugar. They also showed an impairment in associative taste memory. We highlight that the taste impairment and memory defect in $DJ-1{\beta}^{ex54}$ can be recovered by the expression of wild-type $DJ-1{\beta}$ gene in the dopaminergic neurons. We also emphasized the role of dopaminergic neurons in restoring taste memory function. This impaired memory property of $DJ-1{\beta}^{ex54}$ flies also allows them to be used as a model system for finding supplementary dietary foods that can improve memory function. Here we provide evidence that the associative taste memory of both control and $DJ-1{\beta}^{ex54}$ flies can be enhanced with dietary supplementation of the medicinal plant, omija.

• Journal of Korean Medical classics
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• v.35 no.4
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• pp.97-114
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• 2022

Objectives : Background research on the history of Huangbo's taste being written as 'pungent' was undertaken, after which its clinical meaning was examined from the medical perspective that was behind the medicinal's taste designation. Furthermore, through various understandings on the 'pungent' taste within the process of clinical application, the meaning of 'pungent' in Korean medicinal research was re-evaluated. Methods : Description of Huangbo's taste as 'pungent' as written in medical texts were chronologically examined to determine its origin. The clinical meaning of the pungent taste of Huangbo was examined within the broad medical perspective of doctors who were behind these descriptions. Results & Conclusions : The pungent taste of Huangbo was first described by Zhang Yuansu, followed by doctors of the Yishui School such as Li Dongyuan, Wang Haogu, etc., during which such knowledge was established and contributed to recognition of Huangbo's effect as tonifying Kidney deficiency and treatment of fire within water, after reaching the Kidney. Li Dongyuan understood the meaning of Huangbo's pungent taste as eliminating Yin fire and restoring the upward direction, ultimately restoring the general 'Rising-Falling-Floating-Sinking' mechanism within the context of his inner damage treatment. On the other hand, Zhu Danxi interpreted the pungentness of Huangbo based on his understanding of the nature of fire and action towards it. It seems as Huangbo's effects were understood within a relatively narrow frame, application of its pungent taste became vague, which gave rise to criticism by later period doctors, ultimately leading to an ambiguous understanding of the pungent taste of Huangbo.

• International Journal of Oral Biology
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• v.39 no.2
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• pp.107-114
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• 2014

Taste is an important sense in survival and growth of animals. The growth and maintenance of taste buds, the receptor organs of taste sense, are under the regulation of various neurotrophic factors. But the distribution aspect of neurotrophic factors and their receptors in distinct taste cell types are not clearly known. The present research was designed to characterize mRNA expression pattern of neurotrophic factors and their receptors in distinct type of taste cells. In male 45-60 day-old Sprague-Dawley rats, epithelial tissues with and without circumvallate and folliate papillaes were dissected and homogenized, and mRNA expressions for neurotrophic factors and their receptors were determined by RT-PCR. The mRNA expressions of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), neurotrophin-3 (NT3), receptor tyrosine kinase B (TrkB), exclusion of nerve growth factor (NGF), neurotrophin-4/5 (NT4/5), receptor tyrosine kinase A (TrkA), receptor tyrosine kinase C (TrkC), and p75NGFR were observed in some population of taste cell. In support of this result and to characterize which types of taste cells express NT3, BDNF, or TrkB, we examined mRNA expressions of NT3, BDNF, or TrkB in the $PLC{\beta}2$ (a marker of Type II cell)-and/or SNAP25 (a marker of Type III cell)-positive taste cells by a single taste cell RT-PCR and found that the ratio of positively stained cell numbers were 17.4, 6.5, 84.1, 70.3, and 1.4 % for $PLC{\beta}2$, SNAP25, NT3, BDNF, and TrkB, respectively. In addition, all of $PLC{\beta}2$-and SNAP25-positive taste cells expressed NT3 mRNA, except for one taste bud cell. The ratios of NT3 mRNA expressions were 100% and 91.7% in the SNAP25-and $PLC{\beta}2$-positive taste cells, respectively. However, two TrkB-positive taste cells co-expressed neither $PLC{\beta}2$ nor SNAP 25. The results suggest that the most of type II or type III cells express BDNF and NT3 mRNA, but the expression is shown to be less in type I taste cells.