Can interactions between the senses influence food acceptance? | Press

São Paulo, October 2015 – Different cultures, along with the flavors, aromas, and textures experienced over the years, may influence certain habits and the acceptance of particular foods. Before eating, it is natural for the first assessment to occur through the senses of sight and smell, followed by taste and touch. All these actions are instinctive and have reciprocal interactions.

A study conducted by researchers from the Department of Psychology at Brandeis University (Massachusetts, USA) and published in Nature Neuroscience suggests that although gustatory and olfactory stimuli are activated through different receptors and surfaces (tongue, palate, and olfactory tract), the complex sensation of food flavor involves reciprocal interactions between reflexes in the gustatory and olfactory cortex.

According to Hellen Maluly, Ph.D. in Food Science and Umami specialist, “gustatory stimuli are normally processed when the olfactory tract is functioning properly, and vice versa.” This occurs because the gustatory cortex, the area of the brain responsible for receiving taste-related signals, has an influence on the olfactory tract.”

Hellen also emphasizes that other stimuli, such as vision, touch, and even hearing, are interconnected: “Constant activation of different stimuli can create a pleasant and satisfying sensation, potentially influencing satiety.” For this reason, it is recommended that different sensory stimuli be introduced from the beginning of complementary feeding, after 6 months of age. “However, the judgment and preferences for different tastes will vary for each individual depending on the environment in which they develop.”

UMAMI
It is the fifth basic taste of the human palate, discovered in 1908 by Japanese scientist Kikunae Ikeda. It was scientifically recognized in 2000, when researchers at the University of Miami found specific receptors for this taste on taste buds. The amino acid glutamic acid and the nucleotides inosinate and guanylate are the main Umami substances. The two main characteristics of Umami are increased salivation and the lingering taste that remains for a few minutes after eating. To learn more, visit www.portalumami.com.br.