The purpose of this research was to evaluate the correlation between obesity, threshold of salty taste, optimal saltiness and blood pressure in middle school students in a fishing village. The subjects were 115 boys and 103 girls in middle school in a fishing village. The BMI index and systolic and diastolic blood pressures of subjects were measured, and the subjects were divided into a normal and obese group according to their BMI. The threshold of salty taste and salt preference for a semisolid dish (steamed egg dish), liquid dish (bean sprout soup), and a solid dish (raw radish salad), were estimated by sensory evaluation. Calorie intake was measured using the weighing plate method. The boys in the obese group showed significantly higher systolic and diastolic blood pressures than those in the normal, but girls did not. Furthermore, calorie intakes of the boys in the obese group were significantly higher than those in the normal group, but this was not shown in girls. On the threshold of salty taste, both boys and girls in the obese group needed higher concentration of salt than those in the normal group. The threshold of salty taste were significantly positively correlated with systolic pressure and diastolic pressure in boys. Regarding the salt preference in the steamed egg dish, bean-sprout soup, and raw radish salad, both boys and girls in the obese group preferred higher concentrations. The higher concentration they preferred, the higher the systolic and diastolic pressures were in boys, but only systolic blood pressure was higher in girls. From these results, it is evident that a nutritional education program is needed in school to help restricting middle school students salt consumption and decreasing obesity to prevent hypertension.

홍삼추출물(RGE)의 쓴맛을 개선하기 위해서 증숙시 초산 처리 후 α-, β-, γ-CD을 이용 해서 RGE의 포접화합물을 제조하여, 전자혀 분석을 통해서 RGE-γ-CD에 의한 쓴맛 개선효과가 가장 큰 것으로 확인하였다. 인삼의 열처리 공정에 있어 초산 처리는 Rg3 및 비극성 진세노사이드 성분 함량 을 증가시킴을 알 수 있었다. 전자혀를 이용하여 α, β, γ- CD 첨가량에 따른 쓴맛, 신맛, 짠맛, 우아 미맛 및 단맛을 분석하였다. 그 결과 RGE 대비 10%의 γ-CD를 첨가하여 포접한 REG가 다른 처리구 에 비해 쓴맛이 월등히 낮은 감응도를 나타내었다.

Excessive salt intake in body induces health risks resulting in high blood pressure or heart diseases. Therefore, the low salt concentration and salt-tasted food is needed by means of the modification of the manufacturing process. The purpose of this study is to study the effect of inhomogeneous salt localization in bread to enhance the saltiness of encapsulated salt. 0, 0.5, 1.0, 1.5, and 2.0% of liposome encapsulated salt (LS) was added into the baking of white pan bread. The final salt concentration was adjusted to 2.0% by addition of salt. After baking the bread, moisture content, loaf volume, fermentation rate, color, texture analysis, salt release rate, and sensory test were measured. From this study, moisture content had no significant difference in control and treatments (p>0.05), except for 2.0% LS. The lightness in all treatments was higher than the control’s (p<0.05), whereas there was no significant difference in hardness (p>0.05). From the sensory test, the bread added 2.0% LS showed the highest value from the salty taste. Moreover, it is related to the highest release rate of salt represented at 2.0% LS. In conclusion, the salty intensity of bread can be enhanced by the salt localization using the encapsulation of salt.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the possibility of the use of enzymatically hydrolyzed anchovy protein (eHAP) to enhancing of salty taste in dried pollack soup and mungbean sprout when it was applied in cooking. The salty taste enhancing effect was evaluated by comparing the dried pollack soup samples with eHAP added and the control sample containing 0.6% NaCl, and the result showed that the salty taste enhancing effect was 15%, 25%, 42%, and 46% in the samples with 0.1%, 0.5%, 1.0%, and 1.5% eHAP added, respectively. The overall acceptability was decreased as the eHAP addition was increased. In case of a bean sprout containing 0.7% NaCl, the salty taste enhancing effect was 29%, 18%, 16%, and 31% in the 0.1%, 0.5%, 1.0%, and 1.5% eHAP added, respectively. The lightness and yellowness were decreased as the eHAP addition was increased in both the dried pollack soup and the bean sprout. The pH of the dried pollack soup was decreased but the pH of the bean sprout dish was increased as the addition of eHAP was increased. The application of eHAP to food showed a significant salty taste enhancing effect, but the effect was dependent on the type of foods.

The reduction of the content of sodium chloride in noodle was studied to prevent the problems related to excessive sodium intake, such as high blood pressure and cardiovascular diseases. This study investigated the effect of hydrolyzed anchovy products (HAP) on the salty taste of cooked noodle. The experiment was set up to determine the general properties of dough in dried and cooked noodles, with a sensory test used while increasing the concentration of HAP at same salt contents. There was no significant difference in water binding capacity, solubility, swelling power, lightness, and cooking properties. The redness, yellowness, and hardness were increased upon increasing the contents of HAP. From the sensory evaluation, cooked noodle with added HAP had a high score in appearance, color, texture, and flavor. Moreover, 50% and 75% HAP showed higher values than the control item in saltiness, preference of saltiness, and overall acceptance. Consequently, the HAP could have an effect on dried noodles or cooked noodles as a salty taste enhancer without changing the noodle’s properties.

Mammals have 3 pairs of major salivary glands i.e., the parotid, submandibular, and sublingual glands. Saliva secretion of these glands is modulated by taste perception. Salivary glands are composed mainly of acinar and ductal cells. Primary saliva is secreted by acinar cells and modified during ductal flow. Recently, of the murine 35 bitter taste receptors, Tas2r108 was expressed at highest levels in the submandibular gland by qPCR. Further, Tas2r108-transfected cells respond to a range of bitter compounds, such as denatonium, quinine, colchicine, diphenidol, caffeine and dapson. The objective of the present study was to characterize the expression of Tas2r108 mRNA in acinar and/or ductal cells of the submandibular gland using in situ hybridization (ISH). Male 42-60 days old DBA2 mice were used in the study. Messenger RNAs were extracted from the submandibular gland for generating digoxigenin (DIG) labeled-cRNA probes. These probes were transcribed in anti-sense and sense orientation using T7 RNA polymerase. Dot blot hybridization was performed using DIG labeled-cRNA probes, in order to estimate integrity and optimal diluting concentration of these probes. Subsequently, ISH was performed on murine submandibular gland to detect Tas2r108 mRNA. Dot blot hybridization data demonstrated that Tas2r108 DIG labeled-cRNA anti-sense probes specifically detected Tas2r108 cDNA. ISH results showed that the anti-sense probes labeled acinar and ductal cells in the submandibular gland, whereas no staining was visible in sense controls. Interestingly, the Tas2r108 expression levels were higher in acinar than ductal cells. These results suggested that Tas2r108 might be more associated with primary saliva secretion than with ductal modification of saliva composition.

This study was carried out to investigate the effect of liposome-coated salt (LCS) on the salty taste intensity of noodle. Dough, dried noodle, and boiled noodle with LCS were evaluated physico-chemically for water content, water binding capacity, solubility, swelling power, color, texture, cooking properties, and sensory test. There were no significant differences in water content, water binding capacity, lightness, yellowness, and texture of noodle between the noodles with liposome-coated salt and non-coated salt. For the sensory analysis, the panel did detect more salty taste at 1.0% and 2.0% of LCS compared to the control. From these results, this study demonstrates that liposome coated salt can enhance salty taste, maintaining the same salt concentration without the physical property changes of noodle.

Increasing sugar intake of population has become a nutritional issue in Korea. Sweet taste perception may be related to behaviors such as eating sweet food including high sugars and total sugar intake. This study aimed to evaluate objective and subjective sweet taste perception and the association among objective sweet taste perception, dietary behaviors related to eating sweet snack food including high sugar, and total sugar intake from the snacks. Participants were 261 healthy female college students (mean age: 21.0±1.6 years), who were divided into three subgroups based on oral sweet taste evaluation using a sweet taste assessment tool provided by Ministry of Food and Drug Safety: sweet-seeker group (n=139), medium sweet-seeker group (n=54), and unsweet-seeker group (n=68). There was no significant difference in weight and body mass index (BMI) among the three groups; however, the sweet-seeker group had significantly higher sweet taste preference than that of the other groups. Though more people in the sweet-seeker group thought they tended to eat sweet foods than the medium sweet-seeker and unsweet-seeker groups, over half of the sweet-seekers did not think they tended to eat sweet foods. The sweet-seeker group was more likely to eat sweet snacks such as breads, chocolate products, sugar-sweetened milk, and so on than the unsweet-seeker group. Total sugar intake from the selected sweet snacks was 44.4 g for the sweet-seeker group, 34.4 g for the medium sweet-seeker group, and 28.0 g for the unsweet-seeker group with a significant difference. These results indicated the absence of relationship between objective sweet taste perception and the obesity index; however, significant associations were detected among objective sweet taste perception, eating sweet snacks and total sugar intake from the snacks. We also found high disagreement between objective and subjective sweet taste perception of the subjects. The present study provided the novel insight that measuring objective sweet taste perception may be useful for assessing the risk of high sugar consumption and undesirable dietary behaviors.

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.

In this study, we compared diet related attributes such as food taste preference, food consumption frequency and nutrition intake between elderly residents in their 80’s of areas in Jeollanam-do that are well known for longevity and those of a part of Seoul. Structured in-depth interviews were conducted by trained interviewers on 125 consented subjects (67 Jeonnam and 58 Seoul). Differences of groups were tested using Chi-square tests for nominal or ordinal data and t-tests and ANOVA tests for ratio data. The elderly from Jeonnam tended to sleep longer, express emotion more freely, and interact with others more often than those from Seoul. The elderly tended to prefer sweet or salty tastes, which might be highly related to serious health problems. The most frequently consumed foods were napa cabbage kimchi (2.19 times/day) and multigrain rice (1.99 times/day). Elderly from Jeonnam tended to consume garlic, milk, beans and roasted barley/corn teas less often; whereas, they consumed porridge, dried radish greens, potato, fermented fish, dried fish, pork rib, pork belly, soybean paste soup, soybean paste/Ssamjang, other kimchis, pickled vegetables, snacks, cookies, and green/black teas more often than elderly residents from Seoul. Differences in nutrition intake between the regions were greater than differences between the perceived levels of household economic status. NAR and INQ for folate were lower among elderly from Jeonnam than those from Seoul, while those for protein, vitamin C, niacin, vitamin B6 were higher. The study results indicated that elderly from Jeonnam engaged in a more diverse diet than the elderly from Seoul.

The overconsumption of dietary salt is recognized to play a negative effect on human health such as increasing blood pressure. The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of hydrolyzed anchovy products (HAP) on the salty taste of dried noodle. The physicochemical properties and sensory test of dried noodle were determined at different concentrations of HAP. The lightness of the noodle samples was decreased with increasing levels of HAP whereas their redness and yellowness were increased. There were no significant changes in hardness and texture properties by HAP concentration, compared to those of the control. From the sensory evaluation, the 25% and 50% HAP samples showed a high score on saltiness, preferredness, and overall taste acceptability. Consequently, the HAP could be utilized in dried noodles or cooked noodles as a salt enhancer without significantly altering the charateristics of noodles.

Neuronal activities of taste-responsive cells in the nucleus of the solitary tract (NST) are affected by various physiological factors, such as blood glucose level or sodium imbalance. These phenomena suggest that NST taste neurons are under the influence of neural substrates that regulate nutritional homeostasis. In this study, we reviewed a series of in vivo electrophysiological investigations that demonstrate that forebrain nuclei, such as the lateral hypothalamus or central nucleus of the amygdala, send descending projections and modulate neuronal activity of gustatory neurons in the NST. These centrifugal modulations may mediate plasticity of taste response in the NST under different physiological conditions.

밥맛은 밥쌀용 쌀 품종의 품질을 평가하는 중요한 항목 중 하나로, 훈련된 패널을 활용하여 평가하고 있다. 본 연구는 밥맛 평가의 정밀도 향상을 위하여 전자혀의 일종인 taste sensing system을 이용하여 관능적 식미 특성이 다른 쌀 10 품종의 밥맛을 측정하여 분석하였다. 분석 결과, taste sensor를 이용한 밥맛 측정은 밥의 쓴맛, 감칠맛, 단맛 측정에 적합한 것으로 나타났고 감칠맛의 경우, 관능적 평가에서 밥맛이 좋게 평가되었던 삼광의 측정값이 가장 높았고, 관능적 평가에서 밥맛이 나쁘게 평가되었던 한아름은 가장 낮은 측정값을 보였으며 품종간의 값 차이는 유의성이 인정되었다. 이러한 결과는 taste sensor를 밥맛 측정에 활용할 수 있다는 가능성을 보여주며, taste sensing system을 본격적으로 밥맛 측정에 활용하기 위해서는 다양한 조합을 통한 상관 분석이 필요할 것으로 생각된다.

The aim of this study was to investigate the changes in the taste components of cheonggukjang made with germinated soybeans, which is produced by the addition of a smoking process. The total organic acid content of smoked cheonggukjang made with germinated soybeans (SCGS) was four times higher than that of non-smoked cheonggukjang made with non-germinated soybeans (NCNS). The total organic acid content of SCGS was lower than that of non-smoked cheonggukjang made with germinated soybeans (NCGS). The total free sugar content of NCGS and SCGS was approximately three times higher than that of NCNS. The total free amino acid content of NCGS was significantly decreased compared with that of NCNS, whereas the total free amino acid content of SCGS was 1.2 times higher than that of NCGS. The essential amino acid content of SCGS was significantly increased compared with that of NCGS. The ratio of glutamic acid to the total free amino acid in NCNS and SCGS was 19.6%. Similarly, the ratio of glutamic acid to the total free amino acid in NCGS was 19.1%. There were no significant differences in the total fatty acid content of NCNS, NCGS, and SCGS. The sensory evaluation of appearance, aroma, taste, and overall quality of SCGS was significantly increased compared with that of NCNS and NCGS. These results suggest that smoked cheonggukjang made with germinated soybeans could be utilized for the development of a novel fermented food.

팽이버섯 신품종 ‘흑향’은 ‘갈뫼’와 수집 야생균주인 ‘CBMFV-10’으로부터 분리한 단포자를 교배함으로써 육성된 품종으로, 갓 색이 진한 갈색을 나타내며, 재배기간이 짧고, 식미감이 매우 우수하다. 병재배 시 배양 기간은 23일, 초발이 소요일수는 6일, 생육일수는 17일로 총재배기간이 46일이 소요되어 대조 품종 ‘갈뫼’에 비해 8일이 단축되었다. 갓 직경과 두께가 갈뫼에 비해 크거나 두꺼웠고, 갓 색은 진한 갈색을 나타냈다. 수량은 850 ml병 당 135 g으로 갈뫼 150 g 대비 10% 감소하였다. 하지만, 야생 팽이버섯처럼 식미감이 매우 우수하여, 차별화된 색과 맛으로 백색 팽이버섯 틈새시장 공략에 유리할 것으로 판단된다.

짠맛 증진 물질을 탐색하기 위하여 국내에서 시판 중인 간장, 액젓 및 어간장의 품질특성을 분석한 결과, 모든 제 품이 기준·규격에 적합하였으나 까나리액젓의 경우에 식 염의 농도가 기준규격을 약 3% 정도 초과하는 것으로 조 사되었고 ICP-AES를 사용하여 측정한 나트륨 함량으로부 터 환산된 식염 농도는 약 1% 이상 더 높게 나타났다. 풍 미 및 짠맛에 기여하는 성분인 저분자 펩타이드 및 아미노 산이 존재할 것으로 판단되는 수용성 고형분 및 총질소 함 량은 액젓류가 간장류에 비하여 유의적(p<0.05)으로 높게 나타났으며, 유리아미노산 함량을 탐색한 결과, 짠맛과 우 마미를 나타내는 glutamic acid, lysine 및 arginine의 함량 은 멸치어간장 > 저염간장 > 멸치액젓 > 새우육젓 > 양조 간장 > 복합어간장 > 전통간장 > 까나리액젓 > 전통청장 의 순서로 분석되었고 쓴맛에 관여하는 성분은 저염간장 > 멸치어간장 > 멸치액젓 > 새우육젓 > 양조간장 > 복합 어간장 > 전통간장 > 까나리액젓 > 전통청장의 순서로 분 석되었다. 뿐만 아니라 가수분해도 및 질소분포를 분석한 결과 멸치어간장의 경우에 가수분해도가 가장 높았고, 어 간장류에 존재하는 짠맛 증진 물질로 알려진 arginyl dipeptides와 같은 성분이 존재할 것으로 예측되는 아미노 산성 질소와 lowry N의 분율도 멸치어간장이 가장 높았다. 이러한 사실은 arginyl dipeptides가 존재할 것으로 판단되 는 GPC chromatogram의 분획 II가 멸치어간장에 가장 많 이 존재하는 것을 확인할 수 있었다. 짠맛강도 평가결과는 국내 저염 간장을 가장 짜게 느꼈으며, 전통간장 > 창녕 멸치어간장 > 전통청장 > 멸치액젓 > 새우젓 > 까나리 액 젓 > 제주 어간장 > 양조간장 > 소금물 순으로 짠맛을 강 한 것으로 나타나 장기간 숙성이 짠맛을 증진하는데 효과 가 있다고 판단된다. 시판 멸치어간장으로부터 무염의 짠 맛 증진 물질의 분리하기 위하여 MAR을 이용한 흡착 및 탈착 시험으로 탈염처리를 한 결과, 무염의 짠맛 증진 물 질을 분리할 수 있는 가능성은 확인하였으나 짠맛 증진 물 질의 손실이 예상되어 MAR을 이용한 공정은 짠맛증진 물 질의 분리에는 부적합하지만, 멸치어간장 제조방법에서 고 염처리, 장기간 숙성 및 쓴맛 등의 문제를 개선하면 짠맛 증진 물질을 생산할 수 있는 산업적 제조공정을 확립할 수 있을 것으로 판단된다.

본 연구에서는 볶음 처리 후 여주의 총 phenolics, 총 flavonoids, 갈변물질(MRPs, maillard reaction products), 항산화 활성 및 α-glucosidase 저해활성을 비교하였다. 또한 alkaloids 유도체와 쓴맛 저감 효과를 평가하였다. 볶음 온도 및 시간이 증가함에 따라 볶음 처리된 여주는 총 phenolics, 총 flavonoids, MRPs, 항산화 활성 및 α-glucosidase 저해활성 역시 증가하였으나, alkaloid계 화합물 및 쓴맛은 감소하였다. 특히 200℃에서 15분 동안 볶은 여주는 총 phenolics, 총 flavonoids, MRPs, 항산화 활성 및 α-glucosidase 저해활성이 가장 높았고 alkaloid계 화합물 및 쓴맛은 가장 낮게 나타났다. 이 결과로부터 볶음 여주는 쓴맛이 저감되고 이들 추출물은 식품에서도 잠재적인 천연 항산화제로 사용할 수 있을 것으로 판단되었다.

Although it is believed that internal nutrient sensors play important roles in feeding behaviors, their molecular and neural mechanisms underlying of the modulation of physiological status and cell growth are poorly understood. Using a Ca2+ imaging experiments with heterologous expression systems, we show that one of the gustatory receptors in the western honey bee Apis mellifera is selectively tuned to amino acids. Remarkably, we report that this gustatory receptor of the honey bee is highly expressed in hypopharyngeal gland, which plays a role in caste differentiation as well as royal jelly production and secretion. Knocking down this gustatory receptor gene reduces cellular pathways responsible for nutritional sensing such as mTOR signals in hypopharageal gland. Furthermore, the interfering expression of this gustatory receptor gene not only alters morphological changes and developmental retardation of the hypopharyngeal gland, but it also blocks cellular growth signals to induce autophagy. This new report indicates that internal sensing and downstream signals detecting nutrients is essential for honey bee to maintain the cellular growth and development of internal organs essential for caste development and maintenance of social structure in the honey bee.