• International Journal of Oral Biology
• /
• v.47 no.4
• /
• pp.49-54
• /
• 2022

Taste is a basic sensation to get attracted toward nutritious foods or avoid possible harmful substances. The basic taste qualities in humans consist of sweet, bitter, umami, salty, and sour. Basically, sweet and umami tastes make food attractive, whereas bitter and sour tastes make it avoidable. Salty taste comprises basic salty and high salt taste. The basic salty taste is known as amiloride-sensitive salty taste, which is inhibited by amiloride, but the high salt taste is not sensitive to amiloride. Moreover, high salt taste can also cause avoidance behavior in human beings. Sodium, one of the most important cations in the body fluids of vertebrates, controls the volume of total body fluids and is a risk factor for cardiovascular diseases, such as hypertension. The concentration of sodium in body fluids must be under delicate control. A distinction between the salty taste and high salt taste would be a contributing mechanism to control the volume and/or osmolarity of body fluids.

• Korean Journal of Human Ecology
• /
• v.16 no.4
• /
• pp.837-848
• /
• 2007

The literature suggested that a small reduction in overall blood pressure can have a large effect on overall prevalence of hypertension, and therefore, the affect of taste preferences of the population on salt intake should be considered for long-term blood pressure intervention programs. The purpose of this study is to investigate the influence of salt taste preference and salt taste sensitivity on salt intake behavior as risk factors for high blood pressure. We collected information on blood pressure, diet and lifestyle behaviors, salt taste preference and salt taste sensitivity from 540 respondents from Suseo-dong, Seoul. Salt taste sensitivity was assessed by administering a 1% NaCl solution to the subject's tongue and measuring the perceived intensity on 10 level scale. Salt intake behavior was classified into 3 categories: frequency of high-sodium foods, practice of salt-reducing behavior and frequency of vegetable and fruit intake. Salt taste preference showed a significant relation to the subjects' blood pressure, i.e. subjects with a higher salt preference had higher blood pressure. Salt taste sensitivity did not show a significant relation to blood pressure. However, there was a positive correlation between salt taste preference and salt taste sensitivity. Among the 3 indicators used to measure salt intake behavior, the practice of salt-reducing behavior remained significantly correlated to blood pressure. Moreover, salt-reducing behavior and salt taste preference showed a significant correlation, i.e. people who do not like salty foods tend to practice more salt-reducing behavior, leading to reduced levels in blood pressure. In a population, a small reduction in overall blood pressure can have large effects in overall prevalence of hypertension, in contrast to clinical studies where achievement of an individual's normal blood pressure is emphasized. Therefore, taste preference of the population should be considered for long-term blood pressure intervention programs.

• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
• /
• v.21 no.1
• /
• pp.75-83
• /
• 2016

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to analyze correlation thresholds and assessment for salty taste and high-salt dietary behaviors by age. Methods: A total of 524 subjects including 100 each of elementary school students, middle school students, college students, and elderly as well as 124 adults were surveyed for detection and recognition thresholds, salty taste assessments, and high-salt dietary behaviors. Results: Elementary students had a lower detection threshold (p<0.05) and recognition threshold (p<0.01) than did the other groups. Salty taste assessments were lowest among elementary students, followed by middle school students, while college students, adults, and elderly had higher assessment score (p<0.001). Elementary students had significantly lower scores for high-salt dietary behavior than did middle school students, college students, adults and elderly (p<0.001). Middle school students had higher scores for high-salt dietary behavior than did elementary school students and elderly (p<0.001) but no meaningful difference was found in dietary behavior scores between college students, adults, and elderly. There were positive correlations between high-salt dietary behavior and detection thresholds (p<0.001), recognition thresholds (p<0.001), and salty taste assessment (p<0.001). High-salt dietary behavior was more positively correlated with salty taste assessment than detection and recognition thresholds for salty taste. Conclusions: This study suggested that salty taste assessments were positively associated with scores for the detection and recognition thresholds and high-salt dietary behavior.

• Journal of Biosystems Engineering
• /
• v.35 no.5
• /
• pp.310-315
• /
• 2010

The amount of salt intake of Korean people is 11.4 grams per a day, which is 2.3 times of the recommended daily salt intake by WHO - 5 grams of salt a day. The relationship between high salt consumption and increased risk of high blood pressure, observed not only in hypertensive but also in normotensive patients. High salt intake is also associated with an increased risk of heart attack, cerebral ischemia and osteoporosis. Therefore, this research is for developing a salt taste sensor to reduce sodium consumption and improve meal habits for the perception of a more bland taste of most foods. When the sensor was put into food sample, current intensity achieved with distribution cables. Current intensity was correlate with a simple equivalent of salt taste stimulus intensity. The salt taste sensor consists of salinity & temperature measuring probe, signal processing circuit and LCD display & LED warning light. When salinity is going over a set point, LCD displayer indicate salt taste on LCD panel by percent value (%), and at the same time, blue LED light change to red LED light. So we could know the grade of salt taste in soup before meals conveniently and objectively. The results show that operating range of 10 to $80^{\circ}C$ and accuracy of ${\pm}0.1%$ were achieved with an analysis time of about 2 or 3 sec. Moderate reductions in salt intake can help to avert adult diseases and lead a healthy life.

• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
• /
• v.17 no.1
• /
• pp.38-48
• /
• 2012

The purpose of this study was to compare regional differences in salty taste assessments, nutrition knowledge, dietary attitudes and dietary behaviors associated with high-salt diets in four national regions in Korea (Region 1: Seoul, Sokcho, Region 2: Buyeo, Jecheon, Gong Ju, Region 3: Daegu, Gyeongsan, Region 4: Jeon Ju). Subjects were 860 persons who participated in sodium reduction campaign. The result of the salty taste assessment by region was not significantly different. The nutrition knowledge score of subjects in Region 1 was the highest. Dietary attitude scores that showed preference for high-salt diets of Region 2 and Region 4 subjects were higher than those of Regions 1 and 3 subjects (p < 0.001). Dietary behavior scores were not significantly different among regions. The correlation between sodium intake and salty taste assessment was significant (p < 0.01). Older subjects who had high blood pressure levels and lower nutrition knowledge were more likely to have high sodium intakes. Even though the salty taste assessment and dietary behavior scores by region were not significantly different, the salty taste assessment scores had a significant negative correlation with nutrition knowledge and had a significant positive correlation with dietary attitude and dietary behavior in terms of preference for high-salt diets. Therefore, nationwide education regarding salt intake reduction and health and a campaign to encourage favorable attitudes and behavioral changes regarding consumption of a no-salt / low-salt diet is needed.

• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
• /
• v.18 no.6
• /
• pp.555-564
• /
• 2013

The purpose of this study was to compare and analyze the assessment of salty taste and high-salt dietary behaviors of Korean university students and their Chinese counterparts. The researchers developed a taste assessment computer program focusing on preference for salty taste, and it was applied to 300 university students, including 100 Korean students, and 100 Chinese students in Daegu of South Korea, and 100 Chinese students in Shenyang of China (144 males and 156 females). The results of the taste assessment of Chinese and Korean university students are as follows. Among males, Koreans (36.0%), Chinese students in Korea (36.2%), and Chinese (40.4%) scored highest in the "a bit salty" followed by "normal." Among females, Koreans (36.0%), Chinese students in Korea (49.1%), and Chinese (28.3%) scored highest in the "normal". In terms of salt concentration in solution, among the male subjects, most Koreans favored the salt concentration of 0.31%, which is considered to be a "normal" concentration; most Chinese students in Korea favored 0.63%, which is considered to be "a bit salty", and most Chinese favored the concentration of 1.25%, which is considered to be "salty". As for the female subjects, Koreans, Chinese students studying abroad, and Chinese favored 0.31%, the "normal" level of concentration. Korean students scored higher than Chinese students in Korea and Chinese students both in males and females (p < 0.001, p < 0.01), in terms of high-salt dietary behaviors favored salty taste. This study suggests that Chinese university students need nutrition education in terms of modifying eating behaviors to reduce dietary salt intake.

• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
• /
• v.19 no.5
• /
• pp.448-458
• /
• 2014

Objectives: Increasing salt preferences with age are said to increase preferences of salty foods, thereby leading to greater sodium consumption, which has further implication for hypertension. This study examined the link between preference of salty taste and dietary factors and health-related risk factors in Korean elderly people. Methods: We studied 312 elderly individuals aged > 65 years (male, 100 and female, 212). With each subject, pleasant concentration of NaCl was estimated using the sip-and-spit method. Dietary habits, food preferences, consumption frequencies, anthropometric and biochemical assessment were assessed. Results: The pleasant salt concentration was significantly increased in individuals older than 75 years (p < 0.05). Subjects who liked high concentration of salt showed significantly higher preferences for salty foods (p < 0.001). Results showed significant effects (p < 0.01) of fruit & fruit juice consumption frequencies, MNA (mini-nutritional assessment), cognition score, BMI, body fat %, waist circumference, arm circumference, calf circumference, vitamin D level that subjects who likes low salty taste were higher than subjects who likes high salty taste. Conclusions: The preference for salty taste in the elderly was not correlated with hypertension. But, increased preference for salty taste with age and increased salty food preferences may result in higher sodium consumption. Therefore, nutritional education regarding lowering salt preference and favorable behaviors of low-salt diet is needed to improve the quality of life in the rural elderly.

• Food Science and Industry
• /
• v.50 no.4
• /
• pp.12-23
• /
• 2017

Gustation, initiated by the detection of taste molecules by specific receptors expressed in taste cells, plays an essential role in food selection and consequently in overall nutrition for humans. In the past decade, a remarkable amount of knowledge of taste perception in the neurology, molecular biology, and genetics has emerged, particularly in basic tastes- sweet, bitter, sour, salt and umami. Among them, sweet, bitter and umami are recognized via the specific G-protein coupled receptors. Salt and sour are primarily mediated by apically located ion channel-type receptors. Because excessive salt or sugar consumption leads to high rates of diet-associated diseases and it comes from eating prepared or processed foods, an understanding of the underlying mechanisms in salt and sweet perception is crucial in food industry. This review will focus on recent progress of the perception of salt and sweet taste to provide basic knowledge for reducing salt and sugar consumption.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
• /
• v.13 no.6
• /
• pp.2481-2484
• /
• 2012

Aim: The risk factors mostly strongly associated with gastric cancer are gastric bacteria Helicobacter pylori and diet. Using a case-control study among residents in Jinan, we examined the association between the salt taste and gastric cancer according to H. pylori infection, smoking and histological type as well as tumor site. Methods: This population-based case-control study included 207 cases and 410 controls. Data on potential risk factors of gastric cancer were obtained by interview of cases and controls with a questionnaire, salt taste preference was measured for all subjects, and IgG antibodies to H. pylori were applied to assess infection. Risk measures were determined using unconditional logistic regression. Results: The proportions of salt taste at intervals of 1.8-7.2 g/L and ${\geq}7.2$ g/L were significantly higher in cases than controls, with ORs of 1.56 (1.23-3.64) and 2.03 (2.12-4.11), respectively, subjects with high salt intake having an elevated risk for gastric cancer when infected with H. pylori. Significant modification by smoking and tumor site was observed across the different measures of salt intake, the highest salt taste showed higher cancer risk in ever smokers or with non-cardia cancers. Conclusion: Our study supports the view that high intake of sodium is an important dietary risk factor for gastric cancer, with a synergistic effect found between salt and H.pylori and smoking, dependent on the tumor site.

• Preventive Nutrition and Food Science
• /
• v.4 no.4
• /
• pp.236-240
• /
• 1999

The characteristics of natural lactic acid fermentation of radish juice were investigated at different salt concentrations (0~2%) and temperatures (10~3$0^{\circ}C$). Major lactic acid bacteria isolated from the radish juice fermented at 2% slat concentration were Leuconostoc mesenteroides, Lactobacillus plantarum, and Lactobacillus brevis. The percentage of lactic acid bacteria against total microbe in the fermented radish juice was over 80% at 0~1% salt concentrations, suggesting the possibility of fermentation even at low salt concentration, but was still active even at 1$0^{\circ}C$. The time to reach pH 4.0 during fermentation of juice of 1% salt concentration was 281~301 hrs at 1$0^{\circ}C$ and 50-73 hrs at 3$0^{\circ}C$. The concentrations of sucrose and glucose in the fermented juice were low at high temperatures and were the lowest at a 1.0% salt concentration. However, the content of mannitol showed the opposite trend. Although sour taste, ripened taste, and acidic odor of the fermented juice showed no significant differences among various temperatures and salt concentrations, sensory values of ripened taste and sour acidic were high at high temperatures. The overall quality was the best at 1.0% salt concentration, irrespective of the temperature.