Supertasters - Updating the Taste Test For the A & P Laboratory

 

Tested Studies in Laboratory Teaching, 2008, Volume 29

Karen A. McMahon

Abstract

PROP testing recognizes supertasters, medium tasters, and nontasters. Supertasters have higher densities of fungiform papillae and avoid eating bitter vegetables and fruits (Bartoshuk et al. 1994, Delwiche et al., 2001, Drewnowski et al. 1997, Dinehart et al.2006). Students investigated if reaction to unsweetened grapefruit juice predicted PROP status and papillae density. Blue dye was swabbed on the tongue to count nonstaining fungiform papillae. Most supertasters (77%) disliked grapefruit juice, but only 40% of medium tasters, and 0% of nontasters did. Mean papillae densities were significantly different (ANOVA, p < 0.001) at 65.35/cm 2 (supertasters), 42.55/cm 2 (medium tasters), and 33.78/cm 2 (nontasters).

Keywords:  supertaster, PROP, PTC, fungiform papillae

University of Kentucky (2007)