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Flavor release measurement from gum model system.

Flavor release from a mint-flavored chewing gum model system was measured by atmospheric pressure chemical ionization mass spectroscopy (APCI-MS) and sensory time-intensity (TI). A data analysis method for handling the individual curves from both methods is presented. The APCI-MS data are ratio-scaled using the signal from acetone in the breath of subjects. Next, APCI-MS and sensory TI curves are smoothed by low-pass filtering. Principal component analysis of the individual curves is used to display graphically the product differentiation by APCI-MS or TI signals. It is shown that differences in gum composition can be measured by both instrumental and sensory techniques, providing comparable information. The peppermint oil level (0.5-2% w/w) in the gum influenced both the retronasal concentration and the perceived peppermint flavor. The sweeteners' (sorbitol or xylitol) effect is less apparent. Sensory adaptation and sensitivity differences of human perception versus APCI-MS detection might explain the divergence between the two dynamic measurement methods.

Chewing Gum↗

Consumption of nutritional supplements among adolescents: usage and perceived benefits.

The aim of the study was to obtain rich qualitative data about the type of nutritional supplements and drinks consumed by adolescents, and the reasons for their consumption, with particular emphasis on the perceived benefits of nutritional supplementation. Semi-structured focus group interviews (n = 16) were conducted among 78 adolescents aged 11-18 years from a co-educational government high school. Participants reported consuming sports drinks, vitamin and mineral supplements, energy drinks, herbal supplements, guarana, creatine, high protein milk supplements, and coenzyme Q10. Reasons for supplement use included perceived short-term health benefits, prevention of illness, improved immunity, parental supply of supplements, taste, energy boost, better sports performance and to rectify a poor diet. Results suggest that some adolescents consume nutritional supplements, sports drinks and energy drinks for their perceived physiological benefits, and that they may not be aware of any potential risks. Health educators should be aware that adolescents seek specific health benefits from nutritional supplements and drinks, which may be better achieved through appropriate consumption of a nutritious diet. Health education programmes should incorporate the perceptions, aspirations and motivations of young people into the planning of interventions and activities in order to make them most relevant and effective.

Adolescent↗

Studies of chemoreceptor perception in mollusks.

The formation and operation of the peripheral nervous system can be observed and studied in mollusks using as an example the primitive chemoreceptor organ, the osphradium, which is connected to the visceral arch of the CNS and analyzes the physicochemical properties of water in the mantle cavity. Nerve recordings showed that the osphradium is sensitive to excess osmotic pressure, sodium chloride, and amino acids. In addition, the osphradium responds to the quality of the water in which the animal is living. The osphradium of the pond snail retains its ancient multisensory function, uniting the perception of various chemical and physical stimuli. Patch clamp recordings at fixed potential or current were used to study membrane currents in identified ganglion and receptor cells, associated with increases in the concentrations of Na+ and L-aspartate in the solution bathing the osphradium. The influx current appears to be a sodium and/or calcium current, and is not blocked by tetraethylammonium, while the efflux current is a potassium current, as has been shown for the taste cells of vertebrates.

Animals↗

Heritability and genetic covariation of sensitivity to PROP, SOA, quinine HCl, and caffeine.

The perceived bitterness intensity for bitter solutions of propylthiouracil (PROP), sucrose octa-acetate (SOA), quinine HCl and caffeine were examined in a genetically informative sample of 392 females and 313 males (mean age of 17.8 +/- 3.1 years), including 62 monozygotic and 131 dizygotic twin pairs and 237 sib pairs. Broad-sense heritabilities were estimated at 0.72, 0.28, 0.34, and 0.30 for PROP, SOA, quinine, and caffeine, respectively, for perceived intensity measures. Modeling showed 1) a group factor which explained a large amount of the genetic variation in SOA, quinine, and caffeine (22-28% phenotypic variation), 2) a factor responsible for all the genetic variation in PROP (72% phenotypic variation), which only accounted for 1% and 2% of the phenotypic variation in SOA and caffeine, respectively, and 3) a modest specific genetic factor for quinine (12% phenotypic variation). Unique environmental influences for all four compounds were due to a single factor responsible for 7-22% of phenotypic variation. The results suggest that the perception of PROP and the perception of SOA, quinine, and caffeine are influenced by two distinct sets of genes.

Adolescent↗

Brain reward circuitry: a case for separate systems.

Anatomical, lesion and pharmacological data pertaining to intracranial self-stimulation are reviewed in the context of multiple independent substrates of brain-stimulation reward. Subsystems related to chemosensitive pathways, motor control and mood are identified. Forebrain dopamine pathways are recognized to be important components of two separate subsystems of reward. Nigrostriatal DA neurons are linked to an extrapyramidal circuit with reinforcement derived from response initiation and it is conjectured that the meso-limbic DA pathway is related to the control and perception of positive affect. Other candidate systems include a trigeminal system in the hind brain that may function independently from forebrain substrates of reward.

Amygdala↗

Discrimination of intranasal cocaine.

In the development of medications for the treatment of cocaine abuse, the drug discrimination paradigm can be used to identify medications that can attenuate the discriminative stimulus effects of cocaine. To ascertain that participants are basing the discrimination on the drug's central effects, this paradigm requires that the drug and placebo administrations do not produce any peripheral effects on which the discrimination can be based. This study examined whether intranasal cocaine (50 mg) can be discriminated from placebo (46 mg lactose + 4 mg cocaine), how quickly this discrimination can be made, and whether pretreatment with intranasal benzocaine can affect this discrimination. Results showed that subjects were generally able to discriminate the drug conditions correctly 15 s after administration, and this was unaffected by benzocaine. These results suggest that subjects base the discrimination on peripheral drug effects (e.g. taste) that are not affected by anaesthesia of the nasal passage, and that the intranasal route of cocaine administration is unlikely to be feasible with a drug discrimination paradigm.

Administration, Intranasal↗

The gathering and consumption of wild edible plants in the Campoo (Cantabria, Spain).

This paper discusses the traditional consumption of wild edible plants in the rural communities of the Campoo (Cantabria), a region in northern Spain. Through semi-structured interviews with key informants, data on the perception, gathering, preparation and use of 60 edible wild plant species were collected. Social, economic and cultural factors need to be taken into account when trying to understand why some wild foods and traditional vegetables continue to be consumed while others are not. Wild foods were traditionally important as a supplement to the diet (particularly during food shortages), to which they bring diversity and serve as a source of vitamins and minerals. However, only a few people who like the taste of wild species and enjoy gathering them continue to consume them. Many people consider wild food to be old fashioned, unprofitable, or too time-consuming, and prefer to cultivate or buy their food. The most frequently cited species in the region (Rumex acetosa, Origanum vulgare, Rosa canina, Vaccinium myrtillus, Crataegus monogyna and Prunus spinosa) are widely consumed in the Mediterranean area. Unusual food species, such as Pedicularis schizocalyx, Romulea bulbocodium or Viburnum lantana, have also been gathered in the study area.

Adult↗

Sensory brain areas in mesopelagic fishes.

Four areas of the brain that receive primary projections from chemical senses ([1] olfactory bulb, [2] facial and vagal lobes), the eye ([3] optic tectum), and somato- and mechanosensory systems such as the lateral line, vestibular and auditory systems ([4] trigeminal and octavolateral regions) have been studied and relative size differences used to deduce the sensory specializations of 67 species of mesopelagic fishes. One type of analysis used the average relative volumes of brain areas and identified 'specialists' with only one brain area above-average (36%), species 'dominated' by two sensory brain regions (49%), and generalists (15%), with three areas above-average. In addition, a cluster analysis was performed that separated 49 species which were mostly visually oriented from 18 non-visual species, among which 16 were characterized by an association of above-average trigeminal/octavolateral and gustatory areas, and a single species with a dominant olfactory bulb. The results support the idea that these species occupy a rich sensory environment for which the absence of sunlight is compensated by chemical and mechanosensory stimuli as well as by bioluminescent signals. This has lead to the development of specializations for the perception of single stimulus-modes, most notably for the visual system, as well as for combinations of various receptors and central processing areas, with a preference for associating either the chemical senses, including the olfactory and facial/vagal systems, or the trigeminal/octavolateral systems.

Animals↗

Acceptance of the Accuhaler, a multi-dose powder inhaler, among asthmatic patients: a comparison with the pressurized metered-dose inhaler.

This study aimed to evaluate dry powder inhaler naive asthmatic patients' perception and preference of the Accuhaler, a multidose dry powder inhaler and the pressurized metered dose inhaler (pMDI). After the first instruction, 66.7% of 48 patients enrolled in the study could demonstrate the correct use of the Accuhaler. When the patients were asked to compare the pMDI and the Accuhaler after using the Accuhaler to administer salmeterol for 4 weeks, the Accuhaler scored significantly better than the pMDI for the following features: knowing how many doses are left, presence of an attached cover, taste, instruction for use, attractiveness, ease of use, ease of holding, shape, and comfortable mouthpiece. The pMDI scored better to the Accuhaler in terms of size. More patients preferred the Accuhaler than the pMDI; the presence of a dose counter and perceived ease of use were the main reasons cited for their preference for the Accuhaler.

Administration, Inhalation↗

The effect of saliva composition on texture perception of semi-solids.

Saliva is expected to be of significance for the perception of food stimuli in the mouth. Mixing the food with saliva, including breakdown and dilution, is considered to be of large importance for semi-solids as these products are masticated without chewing. It is known that there are large variations in composition of saliva originating from different glands and different subjects. In this study we investigated how variations in salivary characteristics affect sensory perception. Eighteen trained subjects participated in the study. Saliva was collected at rest and during three types of stimulation (odour, parafilm chewing and citric acid), and flow rates were determined. The collected saliva was analyzed for protein concentration, buffer capacity, mucin level and alpha-amylase activity. The salivary components measured in this study varied considerably among subjects, but also within subjects as a result of different means of stimulation. Variations in salivary components were correlated with sensory perception of a number of flavour, mouth feel and after feel attributes in the semi-solids mayonnaise and custard dessert. Total protein concentration and alpha-amylase activity were observed to correlate most strongly with texture perception.

Adult↗

Sensory-specific satiety is affected more by volume than by energy content of a liquid food.

As a food is consumed, its perceived pleasantness declines compared to that of other foods. This phenomenon, referred to as sensory-specific satiety, contributes to the termination of eating, along with other factors. This study tested whether the change in ratings of pleasantness after consuming a food is related to either the amount of food that is consumed or to its energy content. On each of 3 days, 36 women consumed a different formulation of a milk-based liquid food: (1) 300 ml, 2067 kJ; (2) 600 ml, 2067 kJ; or (3) 600 ml, 4134 kJ. The three formulations of the liquid food varied in volume and energy, but were matched for palatability and macronutrient composition. Participants rated the pleasantness of samples of the liquid food and four other foods both immediately before and after consumption of the liquid food. Results showed that doubling the volume of the liquid food that was consumed, without changing the energy content, significantly decreased pleasantness ratings of the liquid food and increased sensory-specific satiety. Doubling the energy content of the food without changing its volume, however, had no additional effect on the decrease in the ratings or on sensory-specific satiety. These results suggest that the volume of food that is consumed has a greater influence on perceptions of a food's pleasantness than does its energy content. Thus, the volume of food may affect the termination of eating in part through effects on sensory-specific satiety.

Adult↗

An investigation into school children's knowledge and awareness of food and nutrition.

With the diet and exercise behaviours of UK school children showing little improvement over recent years, the need for dietary change is clearly indicated. This study aimed to assess the nutritional knowledge and understanding of primary school children in order to identify the most effective format for future nutrition messages. A qualitative methodology was employed and 114 children, aged 7-11 years, took part in 23 focus groups separated by age, gender and socio-economic status (SES). Issues discussed included parental food rules, children's perceptions of 'good' and 'bad' foods, diet-disease links and food groupings. Across the groups restrictive food rules were most frequently reported whilst between groups gender and SES differences were apparent in relation to parental control over food and children's nutritional knowledge. The limitations of the children's cognitive development could be seen in their conceptualization of food groups, where concrete grouping schemes were frequently used, and in the lack of understanding inherent in their food-health or food-nutrient associations. Taste and preference were confirmed as consistent influences in children's food classification. Primary school children may be receptive to food based dietary guidelines based on familiar, concrete food classifications. These should be cognitively appropriate and possibly need to be gender specific.

Child↗

Effects of adaptation and cross-adaptation to common ions on sourness intensity.

The effects of self and cross-adaptation of acetic acid and HCl solutions on the perception of sourness, were investigated using a filter paper method. In contrast to acetic acid and to pH-buffered acetic acid solutions, self-adaptation could not be obtained with HCl. In fact the sourness of the HCl test-stimulus after adaptation to HCl was increased compared to the sourness obtained with the unadapted tongue. Such a sourness potentiation was also observed with acetic acid and buffered acetic acid solutions after adaptation to distilled water. The results suggest that the reception process eliciting the sour taste of H+ ions and of undissociated acids are different and probably independent.

Acetates↗

Genetic sensitivity to 6-n-propylthiouracil and sensory responses to sugar and fat mixtures.

This study tested the hypothesis that genetic sensitivity to 6-n-propylthiouracil (PROP) is associated with greater sensitivity to sugar and fat in foods. Subjects were 118 young women from different ethnic backgrounds, mean age 26.9 years and mean body mass index (BMI) 23.4. The women were classified as nontasters (n = 39), medium tasters (n = 48), or supertasters (n = 31) of PROP. Nontasters of PROP had thresholds of 1.8 x 10(-4) mol/L PROP or greater, whereas tasters had thresholds below 1.0 x 10(-4) mol/L PROP. PROP tasters were divided into medium tasters and supertasters, based on the ratio of intensity ratings of suprathreshold PROP solutions relative to NaCl solutions. Supertasters were defined as those with PROP/NaCl ratios of 1.90 or more. The pattern of sensory responses to sweetened dairy products of varying sugar and fat contents closely replicated data obtained in other studies. Genetic sensitivity to PROP was not associated with enhanced perception or altered hedonic response profiles for this range of 15 sugar/fat mixtures. Separating subjects into "likers" and "dislikers" of sweetened dairy products failed to reveal significant links to PROP taster status in this all-female sample.

Adult↗

The stability of perceptual disturbances in anorexia nervosa.

Patients with anorexia nervosa have previously been shown to display disturbances in visual self-perception and interoception. In the present investigation we wished to determine the stability of these disturbances and the effects of weight gain on them. We studied 29 females, 16 patients with primary anorexia nervosa and 13 controls, who had also been studied one year previously. Each subject took part in investigations of body image, using a distorting photograph technique, and interoception, using a satiety aversion to sucrose test. We found that some anorexic subjects tend to overestimate body size and have an absence of aversion to repeated sucrose tastes. Moreover, these disturbances were stable over the year and were not affected by weight change.

Adult↗

Weight loss and sweetness preferences: the effects of recent versus past weight loss.

The present study examined the effects of weight loss, recent and past, on perceptions of pleasantness and sweetness intensity of sucrose solutions. Subjects high or low in current weight loss, and high or low in past weight loss (weight suppression) rated sucrose solutions before and after the ingestion of a glucose solution. Current weight loss was total weight loss over the 3 months prior to the study; past weight loss was defined in terms of the difference between maximal and current weight. Subjects were 40 women, all of whom reported that they were dieting. After a 12-hour overnight fast, each subject tasted and rated five concentrations of sucrose solutions (2.5, 5.0, 10.0, 20.0, and 40.0) for pleasantness and sweetness. High weight suppressors rated the sucrose solutions, before and after the glucose load, as significantly less pleasant than did low weight suppressors. High recent weight losers rated the sucrose solutions as significantly more pleasant than did low current weight losers following, but not prior to, the glucose load. These results were inconsistent with setpoint theory. High weight suppressors did not show an increase in sweetness preference as predicted by this theory. It was suggested that while weight loss affects taste hedonics, the nature of this relationship depends on the recency of the weight loss.

Adolescent↗

Diencephalic neuronal activity during acquisition and ingestion of food in sheep.

Single unit recordings were made in the lateral hypothalamic region and ventrobasal thalamus in conscious sheep during presentation of food and feeding. Unit responses to all aspects of testing were observed between the two areas. However, analysis of the data revealed a functional division of unit types between the two regions. Unit responses specific to the sight of food, to the approach of food to the mouth, and during ingestion of food were observed in the lateral hypothalamic area, but not the ventrobasal thalamus. These responses were not associated with specific or generalized movements, non-specific arousal, with olfactory stimulation, or with other oral stimuli. Units responding in association with specific mouth movements or somatosensory stimulation of the face or mouth-parts were observed in the ventrobasal thalamus but not in the lateral hypothalamic area. In the case of movement-related activity, the response was independent of the stimulus inducing the movement, food and non-food stimuli being equally effective. This was also true of the somatosensory responses observed. Two possibilities in relation to this functional division are discussed. Firstly, that the ventrobasal thalamus receives oral sensory afferents which may be associated with the thalamic area for taste. Secondly, that the activity of hypothalamic cells recorded in the sheep is consistent with a role for this area of the brain in the guidance and control of ingestive behaviour in ruminant as well as non-ruminant species.

Animals↗

No effect of oral or sample temperature on sensory assessment of fat content.

This work examined the possible influences of oral and sample temperature on the perception of fat content of a model food system. Melting or related phenomena may contribute to the greater sensation of fat content and the highly acceptable textural characteristics associated with certain fats. Thirty-one adults assessed the fat content of 0%, 12%, 24%, 36%, and 48% oil-in-water emulsions prepared with a commercial cocoa butter substitute having a melting range of 17-41 degrees C. Samples were evaluated at combinations of sample and mouth temperatures of 20 and 36 degrees C, with oral temperatures manipulated by repeated cold- and warm-water rinses prior to assessments. There were no significant differences amongst these treatments on perceived fat content of the samples, nor were subject characteristics of age or body composition related to judgments of fat content in these stimuli. Although previous studies had shown that degree of fat saturation is associated with enhanced perception of fat content (11), that does not appear to be related to the degree or occurrence of melting in the mouth over the ranges studies here.

Adolescent↗