TIME-INTENSITY SCALING WITH JUDGES TRAINED TO USE A CALIBRATED SCALE: ADAPTATION, SALTY AND UMAMI TASTES

The Time-Intensity scaling technique was modified for measurements of taste intensity. Instead of using the traditional procedure where intensities were estimated on the judges’ own internalized scales, judges were trained to estimate concentrations directly in millimolar concentration. Such training was seen to increase precision, although the general shapes of the Time-Intensity plots remained the same. The technique was applied to measurement of taste intensity change over time when NaCl or MSG stimuli were held in the mouth. Using this technique, it was possible to measure the relative effects, on taste intensity loss, of stimulus dilution by saliva and sensory adaptation; the latter had the greater effect. Accordingly, the disruption of adaptation was found to be more important than increased salivation when chewing movements were made.