Brief Rationale of the Symposium

Food-seeking behaviors of humans are driven not only by nutrient and energy needs but also by sensory and hedonic considerations. Sugar, fat, salt and umami substances influence food palatability and may have a direct impact on food selection and the amounts consumed. Whereas the influence of sweet taste perception on energy intakes and body weight has been extensively studied, less is known about the umami and salty tastes. New studies suggest that the perception of umami taste may be altered in obese women, with the potential to affect food choices. Previous studies had shown that obese and formerly obese women had heightened taste preferences for mixtures of sucrose and fat. New studies suggest further that taste receptors for sweet, bitter and umami are expressed not only in the tongue but also in the luminal gut wall. Furthermore, the vagal afferent from the stomach is able to respond to umami substances of L-glutamate and subsequently activate brain regions associated with energy homeostasis. Given that taste remains the main influence on food choice, there is a need to better understand taste perception and its relation to diets and health. For example, proposals to reduce the sodium content of the American diet to 1500mg/d may run up against the palatability barrier. This symposium will explore the relations among the scientific evidence base on nutrient signaling, taste perceptions, and satiety in humans and laboratory animals.

For more information about the symposium and contact, please visit  www.ajinomoto-usa.com and www.umamiresearch.com