RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Genetic Taste Markers and Food Preferences
JF Drug Metabolism and Disposition
JO Drug Metab Dispos
FD American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics
SP 535
OP 538
VO 29
IS 4
A1 Adam Drewnowski
A1 Susan Ahlstrom Henderson
A1 Anne Barratt-Fornell
YR 2001
UL http://dmd.aspetjournals.org/content/29/4/535.abstract
AB Sensitivity to the bitter taste of 6-n-propylthiouracil (PROP) is an inherited trait. Although some people find PROP to be extremely bitter, others cannot distinguish PROP solutions from plain water. In a series of studies, greater PROP sensitivity was linked with lower acceptability of other bitter compounds and with lower reported liking for some bitter foods. Women, identified as “super-tasters” of PROP, had lower acceptance scores for grapefruit juice, green tea, Brussels sprouts, and some soy products. Many of these foods contain bitter phytochemicals with reputed cancer-protective activity. These include flavonoids in citrus fruit, polyphenols in green tea and red wine, glucosinolates in cruciferous vegetables, and isoflavones in soy products. Consumer acceptance of these plant-based foods may depend critically on inherited taste factors. This review examines the role of genetic taste markers in determining taste preferences and food choices. The American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics