Lesson 01: Sweet sensation – using biology to redesign sweet taste

Welcome by Jay Slack

Component content

Welcome to this first lesson of Sweet Smart. I’m your host, Jay Slack and I have been studying sweet taste for over 25 years. You can learn more about me here.
I hope you’re ready to uncover the secrets of sweetness perception!
Jay Slack, Research Fellow

What we’ll cover in this lesson

In this lesson we’ll uncover the secrets of sweet perception. We’ll explore a wide range of topics including taste receptor biology, genetic variability, and taste modulation. And we’ll see how all of these themes can be combined for successful sugar reduction and replacement strategies.

Taste receptors
and sensations

Genetics and
taste variability

Taste
modulation

Sweetener
synergies

Watch the video

Component content

Watch the video

Get ready to delve into the details of sweet taste perception in this full length episode.

Video Player is loading.

Current Time 0:00

Duration 0:00

Loaded: 0%

Stream Type LIVE

Remaining Time 0:00

Don’t have time to watch the full video now?

Brush up on some key facts by checking out the engaging content below.

Taste receptors and sensations

Component content

Taste receptors and sensation

We have multiple sensory systems

Taste

The primary taste circuit tells us how something tastes: sweet, sour, salty, bitter or umami.

Smell

Aroma molecules in foods go to the oral cavity and travel all the way to the nose, and help us tell how something tastes.

Somatosensation

The somatosensory system helps us tell whether food is hot or cold, if it is hard or soft, mushy or crunchy.

Genetics and taste variability

Component content

Genetics and taste variability

Genetic variations within the taste systems can contribute to unique individual taste experiences

99%

of human
DNA
is identical

30%

of the population can be insensitive to a specific bitter compound

OR26A

is an odour receptor influencing our olfactory
system

Taste modulation

Component content

Taste modalities

There are five basic taste modalities:
Each serves a specific biological function, like regulating water intake or detecting dangerous toxins

Salt

Ensures adequate salt intake for water regulation.

Sour

Avoidance of spoiled food, detection of ripeness.

Bitter

Avoidance of toxins and dangerous substances.

Sweet

Intake of carbohydrates for energy production.

Sweetener synergies

Component content

Sweet taste

Sweet taste is primarily associated with carbohydrates, as they provide energy. But it can also be associated with artificial sweeteners, plant-based sweeteners including some proteins.

Carbohydrates	Artificial sweeteners	Plant-based sweeteners
Sucrose	Aspartame	Stevioside
Fructose	Sucralose	Rebaudioside
Glucose	Saccharin	Thaumatin/Brazzein (proteins)

Sweet receptor complex

Sweet taste is detected by a receptor complex consisting of TAS1R2 and TAS1R3 proteins on taste cells, which can detect carbohydrates, plant compounds, or artificial sweeteners.

Source: Ben Abu, N., Mason, P.E., Klein, H. et al. Sweet taste of heavy water. Commun Biol 4, 440 (2021).

Flavour modifiers

Flavour modifiers are substances that enhance the sweet receptor’s sensitivity to carbohydrates, allowing for the use of less sugar in products while maintaining taste intensity.

1 + 0 = 5 : Effects of GIV-SE on sucrose

Bitter masking

Bitter receptors can be activated by some artificial sweeteners, leading to bitterness. Researchers have discovered compounds that can block this bitterness without affecting sweetness.

Inhibitor vs agonists, do you know which is which?