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Comparison of intensities and binary interactions of four basic tastes between an electronic tongue and a human tongue

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Abstract

For detection of single taste intensities and binary interactions using an electronic tongue (E-tongue) and the human tongue (H-tongue), the 4 basic flavor substances of sucrose, caffeine, citric acid, and sodium chloride were used. A linear fit was performed using response values of the E-tongue and concentrations of the basic tastes. The taste intensity of the E-tongue was positively correlated with sour and salty substances, but negatively correlated with sweet and bitter substances. All taste intensities were positively correlated with the 4 flavor substances using the H-tongue. A mathematical model of the 4 taste substances on both the E-tongue and H-tongue exhibited a semi-logarithmic form. There were synergistic, dampening, or offset effects on the taste intensity of each flavor substance in binary systems. H-tongue and E-tongue results were consistent for sweet/bitter and salt/sour interactions. H-tongue and E-tongue results were contradictory for salt/sweet and sweet/sour interactions.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Aroma and Perfume Technology, Shanghai Institute of Technology, Shanghai, 201418, China

    Huaixiang Tian, Tao Feng, Zuobing Xiao, Shiqing Song & Fenghua Li

  2. Flavors and Fragrance Technical Center of Hongta Tobacco (Group) Co., Ltd., Yuxi, 653100, China

    Zhiyu Li, Qiang Liu & Deshou Mao

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  1. Huaixiang Tian
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  2. Tao Feng
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  3. Zuobing Xiao
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  4. Shiqing Song
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  5. Zhiyu Li
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  7. Deshou Mao
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  8. Fenghua Li
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Correspondence to Huaixiang Tian.

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Tian, H., Feng, T., Xiao, Z. et al. Comparison of intensities and binary interactions of four basic tastes between an electronic tongue and a human tongue. Food Sci Biotechnol 24, 1711–1715 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10068-015-0222-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10068-015-0222-9

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