Navigation
Fat Sensation: Fatty Acid Taste and Olfaction Sensitivity and the Link with Disinhibited Eating Behaviour
It is hypothesized that how fat is perceived in terms of scent, flavor, and texture affects eating habits, food choices, dietary intake, and, ultimately, long-term health. In this study, Kindleysides et al. (2017) looked at relationships between eating habits, food consumption, body mass index (BMI), fatty acid taste, mouthfeel of fat, and olfaction. To measure the oleic acid taste and olfactory thresholds, the olfactory threshold for n-butanol, and the subjective mouthfeel evaluations of custard samples, fifty women participated in three sessions. A Food Frequency and Three-Factor Eating Questionnaire were each used to assess dietary intake and eating behavior. Analysis of the results revealed that olfactory detection of oleic acid and taste had a favorable correlation, whereas women who are particularly sensitive to oleic acid’s flavor have much higher n-butanol olfactory sensitivity. Furthermore, women who were particularly sensitive to the taste of oleic acid had less restraint in their eating habits and higher BMIs. High olfactory sensitivity to oleic acid was substantially linked with dietary consumption of nut spreads, nuts, and seeds. The authors comment that these results show a distinct relationship between fatty acid taste sensitivity and olfaction and imply that the perception of fat is linked to specific traits of eating behavior and body composition. [NPID: Fatty acid taste, olfaction, sensory, mouthfeel, test-retest, eating behavior, dietary intake, BMI, taste]
Year: 2017
