Phenotypic characterization of panelists as selection criterion
- 15.01.2016
- English Articles
- Karolin Höhl
- Mechthild Busch-Stockfisch
Peer-reviewed | Manuscript received: March 10, 2015 | Revision accepted: November 02, 2015
Introduction
Sensory abilities – including taste sensitivity to sweet, sour, bitter, and umami, and perception of the intensity and recognition of different odors – differ between different individuals and within the same individual in the course of the day and year, depending on hormonal fluctuations [1] and environmental influences such as temperature, air pressure and light intensity [2–4].
Various factors influencing sensory discrimination, e. g. age, state of health, psychological factors, and genetic susceptibility, have already been published [5]. On this basis (=> Ernährungs Umschau 12/2015, p. 216 ff.), the present article now examines whether and to what extent genetic susceptibility influences individual suitability to be a sensory test person (TP).
Summary
The phenotype of perceiving propylthiouracil (PROP) as either bitter or tasteless (so-called “PROP status”) correlates with other sensory parameters, including sensitivity to other tastes or food preference. The present article investigates whether knowledge of the phenotypic PROP status can provide relevant information on the suitability for analytical test procedures. 82 female students without sensory training were classified as PROP non-tasters (PNTs, n = 22), PROP medium-tasters (PMTs, n = 39) or PROP super-tasters (PSTs, n = 21) and the sensitivity to sucrose and caffeine was determined. 45 subjects from all of these three sensitivity groups were then given one week of sensory training (intervention group). The remaining 37 test subjects from all three groups received no intervention (control). The sucrose and caffeine sensitivity of the intervention and control groups were checked at two time points at an interval of 6 months.
The results show that the initial differences in caffeine sensitivity in the three sensitivity groups could be eliminated by sensory training, as well as by experience or habituation. Even after an interval of 6 months, caffeine sensitivity did not return to the original value.
Thus the phenotypic PROP status is essentially irrelevant to the formation of sensory panels. After sensory training and/or experience and habituation, PNTs and PMTs can achieve the same test sensitivity to sweet and bitter as PSTs.
Keywords: sensory science, analytical tests, threshold measurement, training, receptor types
