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

• The Korean Journal of Food And Nutrition
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.780-787
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• 2017

The consumption of high-salt foods is an independent risk factor for increased hypertension. Thus, evaluating the relationship of taste sensitivity and pleasantness of high-salt foods such as Korean jang products, would help contribute to an understanding of salty food eating behaviors of the Korean rural elderly. This study aimed to verify the association between taste sensitivity and salinity of Korean jang products, and the preferences of food groups and nutrient intake in the rural elderly. We studied 269 elderly persons (males 83, females 186) aged above 65 years, residing in the rural area, Sunchang gun Jeonbuk. For each subject, a recognition threshold of 4 basic tastes and pleasant concentrations of NaCl were estimated using the sip- and-spit method. Taste preferences, frequency of intake of food groups, nutrient intakes, and salinity and sweetness of Korean jang products (Doenjang, Ganjang, Gochujang) were assessed. No association was found between salt taste recognition threshold and optimally preferred concentration of salt and salinity of Korean jang products. However, the sweet taste recognition threshold was positively related to the sweetness of Korean jang products. Also, the salinity of Doenjang positively correlated with the frequencies of food groups and nutrient intakes. That is to say that the sweet taste sensitivity was related to the sweetness of Korean jang products, but was not sensitive to the salty taste. The salinity of Doenjang correlated with the consumption of food and nutrient intakes. Taken together, these findings suggest the need for appropriate intervention and education to reduce the salinity of Doenjang, which is an important modifiable factor contributing to reducing sodium intake in the rural elderly.

• Journal of Community Nutrition
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• v.8 no.4
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• pp.185-192
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• 2006

This study was performed to investigate factors affecting sensitivity and preference for salty tastes of Korean adult females. Sensitivity and preference for salty tastes were determined as detection threshold concentration of NaCl solution and the optimally-preferred NaCl concentration of the bean sprout soup, respectively. A self-administered questionnaire was used to obtain the information regarding general characteristics, self diagnosis of stress, health-related lifestyle practices, dietary habits and food preferences. Dietary intake using 24-hours recall and blood pressure were measured. Salty taste detection thresholds and optimally-preferred NaCl concentrations were 0.0197% and 0.357%, respectively. There was a significant positive correlation between the optimally-preferred salt concentration and age, despite no significant correlation between either sensitivity or preference for salty taste and sodium intake, which was 3,605mg/day. Those who had bread or cereal with milk as breakfast instead of a traditional Korean meal and those who preferred jjigae to soup had significantly higher NaCl preferences for bean sprout soup. Going to bed after midnight and skipping meals (${\geq}3/week$) decreased salty taste sensitivity without reaching statistical significance. Self awareness of one's own health, recent weight changes, family history of hypertension, sleep quality, getting-up time, rate of eating and other food preferences did not affect either perception. Stress level, TV watching, BMI and sodium intake did not have significant correlation to sensitivity or preference. Further research including a large number of well-controlled subjects and more accurate measurement of sodium intake should be directed to find other factors affecting salt preference and sensitivity in order to decrease Na intake and related diseases.

• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.223-232
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• 2013

The purpose of the study was to investigate the influence of salt (NaCl) recognition threshold and pleasant salt concentrations of Korean rural elderly subjects on preference of salty food as well as food group consumption patterns. The subjects were 213 elderly people (male 71 and female 142) over 65 and under 90 yr of age from Sunchang area. The higher values were found with male subjects in the areas of basic taste recognition threshold and pleasant concentration level of salt. The taste sensitivity scores of male subjects did not decrease with the increasing age, but female subjects exhibited a significant decrease with the age. The major determinant factor of salt preference of the elderly subjects in this study appeared to be personal pleasant concentration of salt rather than salt recognition threshold level and this trend was more evident in males than in females. The subject group of lower salt pleasant concentration i.e. consuming less salt showed the higher number of fruit and fruit juice intakes per week, and higher MNA (define this) scores were implying that they display more desirable nutritional status. Therefore, nutritional education focused on not only a variety of food consumption but also lowering pleasant salt concentration levels is advised to improve the quality of nutrition in the elderly.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Culture
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• v.28 no.6
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• pp.585-593
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• 2013

This study was designed to measure taste sensitivity and the five basic senses by an educational classification instrument. The instrument was a rice kit that could use samples in a dry powder form or oil extract after long-term storage To test for taste, sucrose, salt, citric acid, and quinine sulfate were made at different concentrations and taste sensitivity was measured on a scale from level 1 to level 5. To obtain baseline data, an inspection tool for the five senses was used and randomly applied on 101 schoolchildren in the third and fourth grade in the city of Cheonan in Korea. The inspection tool was composed of 17 questions; 5 questions regarding visual characteristics and three questions each for characteristics regarding taste, hearing, smell, and touch. The average age of the schoolchildren was 9.5 years old and there were 49 third grade students (9 years of age), and 52 fourth grade students (ten years of age). There were slightly more male students than female students, 56 (55.4%) compared to 45 (44.6%), respectively. The average height of female students was higher than that of males, but the average BMI (body mass index) of the male students was slightly higher than that of female students (18.28 compared to 18.09, respectively). Female students were slightly more sensitive to salty tastes than male students (2.8 compared to 2.5, respectively). In the score distribution for each sense, touch sense was the highest at 7.59, sight sense was 7.49, hearing sense was 5.43, smell sense was 5.24, and taste sense was lowest at 3.69. Therefore, schoolchildren first tend to recognize and deem important the touch and sight of food before its taste.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.86-96
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• 1984

In order to provide basic data for food processors and to improve eating habits and healthy diets, four primary tastes and hot taste threshold of Koreans, physio-chemical properties of foods and food preference were investigated. The results of this study were as follows; 1. The recognition threshold concentration of four primary tastes was 0.016 % of salt, 0.245${\sim}$0.249 % of sweet, 0.004${\sim}$0.008 % of sour and 0.008${\sim}$0.012 % of bitter. Threshold concentration of hot taste was 170,000${\sim}$600,000 Scoville Heat Unit(S.H.U.) 2. The most acceptable tastes were 0.3 % saltiness in 0.375 % broth(at $60^{\circ}C$), 6 % sweetness in 2 % instant coffee(at $60^{\circ}C$) and 19.3 sugar-acid ratio(16.8 brix/0.8736 % citric acid) in 100 % valencia orange juice(at $20^{\circ}C$). 3. The salt concentrations of soup were 1.127 % in average. S. H. U. (scale of hot taste) of soybean sprout soup and spinach bean paste soup ranged between 12,500 and 47,500 equivalent to oleoresin capsicum content of 1.990${\sim}$5.911 (mg %). 4. 'Jigae' (Korean style stew) was the most favorable food and it was revealed that the father influences the formation of his children's eating habits.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.44 no.5
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• pp.767-774
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• 2015

In recent decades, health concerns related to sodium intake have caused an increased demand for salt or sodium-reduced foods. Umami substance can enhance taste sensitivity to NaCl and may offer a unique approach to replace and reduce the sodium content in foods. In this study, hot water extraction conditions of Wando sea tangle with high umami taste were investigated. Wando sea tangle harvested in June was selected for hot water extraction based on its free amino acids composition. The quality properties of sea tangle extract were investigated at various extraction temperatures ($60^{\circ}C$, $80^{\circ}C$, and $100^{\circ}C$) and times (1 h, 2 h, and 3 h). Sea tangle extracts at the extraction temperature of $100^{\circ}C$ contained the highest soluble solids (35.47%~36.93%), and crude protein (3.75%~4.00%). Viscosities of sea tangle extracts decreased with increasing extraction temperature. Umami amino acids (glutamic acid and aspartic acid) and sensory characteristics were best at extraction conditions of $100^{\circ}C$ for 2 h. Saltiness enhancement of sea tangle extract powder was determined. Saltiness intensities of NaCl solution after adding 1% sea tangle extract powder were enhanced (1.84~4.25-fold). At the same saltiness intensity, sodium contents of NaCl solution with 1% sea tangle extract powder were 12.24~24.33% lower than that of NaCl solution. These results suggest that it is possible to reduce sodium in foods with sea tangle extract as a natural salt enhancer without lowering overall taste intensity.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.150-157
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• 1980

In an attempt to evaluate the quality of food by sensory testing, the difference testing for commercial milk was conducted by selected members of a sensory panel. The results were summarized as follows: 1. Sensory panel of 40 persons were selected by the general basis of selection of panel members, by sensitivity test for primary taste, and by discriminatory ability test and trained to have normal abilities on the sensory testing for the quality of milk. 2. As a result of sensitivity test for 4 primary tastes by panel members, the solution concentration of salt, sour, bitter and sweet for which average recognition threshold was located were 0.0128 M sodium chloride, 0.0008 M citric acid, 0.0016 M caffeine and 0.0256 M sucrose, respectively. 3. As results of difference test of single stimuli, paired comparison test, duo-trio test and triangle test, a significant difference was recognized at higher level than the 1% among the samples of commercial milk produced by 5 companies.