Comparative study on taste sensitivity between Japan and Thailand

2016 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 25305039
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
• Allocation Type: Partial Multi-year Fund
• Section: 海外学術
• Research Field: Social dentistry
• Research Institution: Tohoku University
• Principal Investigator: Shoji Noriaki 東北大学, 大学病院, 講師 (70250800)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 笹野 高嗣 東北大学, 歯学研究科(研究院), 教授 (10125560) ; 上園 保仁 国立研究開発法人国立がん研究センター, 研究所, 分野長 (20213340) ; 西岡 貴志 東北大学, 歯学研究科(研究院), 助教 (50641875) ; 佐藤 しづ子 東北大学, 歯学研究科(研究院), 助教 (60225274) ; 駒井 三千夫 東北大学, (連合)農学研究科(研究院), 教授 (80143022) ; 小嶋 郁穂 東北大学, 歯学研究科(研究院), 助教 (80447169)
• Project Period (FY): 2013-04-01 – 2017-03-31
• Keywords: 味覚障害 / タイー日本 / うま味 / 高齢者

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Taste perception is influenced by several factors. However, it was unclear how food culture affects taste perception. In this study, we compared recognition taste thresholds between populations with different food culture, i.e. Thai and Japanese Adults. A matched case-control study was conducted in 168 healthy older adults (84 for each country). Recognition thresholds of sweet, salty, sour, bitter and umami were measured using Filter Paper Disc by stimulation at anterior and posterior tongue area. Spicy preference was measured by calibrated questionnaires. Interestingly, Thai older adults had much higher recognition thresholds of all tastes than those of Japanese (p<0.0001). Further, Thai adults had stronger preference on spicy food (p<0.0001). Our findings suggest that population from culture with stronger preference on spicy food such as Thai had higher recognition thresholds of all tastes than population with milder preference on spicy food like Japanese.

Free Research Field

口腔内科学