Role of olfaction in perception of non-traditional ‘taste’ stimuli

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Abstract
The flavors of L-cysteine, sodium oleate, ferrous sulfate, monosodium L-glutamate, L-serine and sodium chloride solutions were assessed using whole-mouth tests in normal human subjects with nose open or clamped to reduce olfactory input. Significant differences in the distributions of quality descriptors between nose open and clamped were found for 1 mM L-cysteine, 1 mM sodium oleate and 1 mM ferrous sulfate. The primary descriptors for these stimuli were sulfurous, soapy and metallic, respectively, with nose open, but tasteless when clamped. The flavor profiles for 10 mM and 100 mM monosodium L-glutamate, 100 mM L-serine and 100 mM sodium chloride and water were not signficantly different for the two conditions. The results indicate that sulfurous, soapy and metallic flavors, when applied to L-cysteine, sodium oleate and ferrous sulfate, are not true gustatory qualities, but are likely to be due to olfaction.

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