| Abstract: | Genetically mediated sensitivity to the bitter taste of 6-n-propylthiouracil(PROP) has been associated with greater acuity for bitter andfor some sweet tastes. Thus far, few studies have explored therelationship between PROP taste sensitivity and hedonic responsesto bitter and sweet. In this study, 87 normal-weight young womenwere divided into PROP non-tasters (n = 18), regular tasters(n = 49), and supertasters (n = 20), based on their PROP detectionthresholds and the scaling of five suprathreshold solutionsof PROP and NaCl. Non-tasters had thresholds >1.8 x 10–4mol/l PROP. Supertasters had thresholds <3.2 x 10–5mol/l PROP and PROP/NaCl ratios >1.70. As expected, dislikeof the bitter taste of PROP was determined by its perceivedintensity, which was greater among supertasters than among regulartasters or non-tasters. Significant correlations were observedbetween PROP taste thresholds and the sum of intensity ratings(r = –0.61) and between summed intensity and summed hedonicratings (r = –0.80). PROP taste sensitivity was weaklylinked to enhanced perception of sweet taste, but did not predicthedonic responses to sucrose or to saccharin solutions. Giventhat the dislike of PROP solutions is determined by their perceivedintensity, hedonic responses to PROP solutions may provide arapid way of screening for PROP taster status. Chem. Senses22: 27–37, 1997. |
