The identification of perceived intensity and agreeability of sensory and chemesthetic properties of taste stimuli among a selected non-dysphagic population.

Background: Morbidity and mortality from aspiration pneumonia is a significant health issue in dysphagic patients. Therapeutic techniques which facilitate safe swallowing in these patients are needed. Identification of new sensory characteristics of food or drinks could improve treatments for dysphagia. Objectives: This pilot study was designed to identify intense and/or agreeable sensory and chemesthetic stimuli and to identify groups of perceived tastes signified by common or opposing factors in a female non-dysphagic population and to ascertain whether there are identifiable groups within the sample in terms of taste perception. Methods: Participant’s fungiform papillae were counted using a blue dye test and categorised as non-, medium- or super-tasters. Then data from a completed questionnaire on intensity and agreeability of 54 tastes based on sweet, sour, salty, bitter, umami tastes and chemosthetic stimuli were analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics to determine differences between groups, taste groupings and correlations between taste agreeability and intensity. Results: Lemon juice was considered the most intense, while liver and seawater were shown as most disagreeable tastes. Differences between medium and non-taster groups were limited to fennel, fudge and black pepper. Factor analysis demonstrated distinct taste groupings of strong tastes, spicy/tangy and herbal tastes. A limited number of tastes demonstrated modest positive or negative correlations (r<0.5) between intensity and agreeability. Conclusions: Overall this pilot study demonstrates that herbal and spicy tastes may be worth examining in future studies into stimuli for dysphasia treatment as these stimuli do not demonstrate a negative correlation between intensity and agreeability.