Sensory abilities vary between individuals and may be related to different food preferences and choices. In our master’s thesis, we were researching if there are any correlations between sensory abilities in individuals and how these abilities influence food preferences and choices. In the experimental part, we determined, on a panel of consumers, their detection and recognition threshold for sweet and salty tastes, the perceived intensity of basic tastes (sweet, salty, bitter, sour, umami), the sensitivity to PROP compound, and density of fungiform papillae (FP) on the tongue. The results demonstrated that, between subjects with different PROP taster statuses (tasters, and non-tasters), as between subjects with different FP densities (small, medium, high) there were no statistically significant differences in the perceived intensity of basic tastes or in the detection and recognition threshold for salty and sweet taste. Also, there were no differences in sensory abilities between subjects who suffered from COVID-19 in the past year and healthy subjects. Nevertheless, it was found that those with a high density of FP rated sweet and high-fat foods as likable and tasty, while those with low FP density found this kind of food unlikeable and not tasty. A strong positive correlation was found between the detection and recognition thresholds for sweet, but not salty taste.
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