Impact of Nutritional Intervention on Taste Perception—A Scoping Review

The aim of the present scoping review was to evaluate the impact of experimental meal loads or observational diet changes/habits on taste tests in both healthy subjects and patients. A systematic search performed in PubMed, Scopus, and Institute for Scientific Information (ISI) Web of Science electronic databases retrieved, respectively 2981, 6258, and 7555 articles from January 2000 to December 2020. A total of 17 articles were included for full-text review. Literature results were stratified according to the observational/interventional approach, the involvement of healthy subjects or patients, the taste test, and the meal/dietary changes. The present scoping review reinforced the notions postulating that certain taste tests (for example focusing on fatty acid, salt, or sugar) might be specifically influenced by the nutritional intervention and that other ones might be susceptible to a wide span of changes beyond the extent of tastant included in the specific food changes. This could also depend on the inhomogeneity of literature trend: The short duration of the intervention or the random type of meal load, unsuitability of the taste test chosen, and the presence of underlying disorders. Future studies for a better comprehension of taste tests reliability in relation to specific food changes are thus to be fostered.

Objective measures of reward sensitivity and motivation in people with high vs low anhedonia

Background. Anhedonia, a diminished interest or pleasure in activities, is a core self-reported symptom of depression which is poorly understood and often resistant to conventional antidepressants. This symptom may occur due to dysfunction in one or more sub-components of reward processing: motivation, consummatory experience, and/or learning. However, the precise impairments remain elusive. Dissociating these components (ideally, using cross-species measures) and relating them to the subjective experience of anhedonia is critical as it may benefit fundamental biology research and novel drug development. Methods. Using a battery of behavioural tasks based on rodent assays, we examined reward motivation (Joystick-Operated Runway Task, JORT; and Effort-Expenditure for Rewards Task, EEfRT) and reward sensitivity (Sweet Taste Test) in a non-clinical population who scored high (N = 32) or low (N = 34) on an anhedonia questionnaire (Snaith-Hamilton Pleasure Scale). Results. Compared to the low anhedonia group, the high anhedonia group displayed marginal impairments in effort-based decision-making (EEfRT) and reduced reward sensitivity (Sweet Taste Test). However, we found no evidence of a difference between groups in physical effort exerted for reward (JORT). Interestingly, whilst the EEfRT and Sweet Taste Test correlated with anhedonia measures, they did not correlate with each other, lending support for the possibility of sub-groups within anhedonia. Conclusions. Our findings suggest that reward motivation and reward sensitivity are dissociable when tested in the same group of participants, and that anhedonia is a heterogenous symptom associated with impairments in reward sensitivity and effort-based decision-making.

Analysis of Aroma Compounds in Tofu from Lembang, Sumedang and Garut West Java, Indonesia

Tofu from Lembang, Tofu from Sumedang and Tofu from Garut are three types tofu that are produced in different places, but still close. Although made from the same raw material that is soy, every tofu will produce a different tofu, both in terms of taste, aroma, texture and suppleness. Differences in the type of flavour compouds used can also be a factor causing divergence of any tofu product. The characteristic of the tofu were determined by identifying the flavour compouds GC-MS, as well as organoleptic tests. To determine differences in compound-producing falvour in the tofu. The results extraction method was carried out on tofu samples using n-pentane as solvent then analyzed using GC-MS. Flavour compounds of all three types of tofu included into the ester group, alkenes and aldehydes. Organoleptic tests show that the panelists prefered. Tofu from Sumedang for test of colour appearance (82%), for the test texture panelists like Tofu from Garut (83%), for test of elasticity panelists prefered Tofu from Garut Lembang (75%), for taste test panelists prefered Tofu from Lembang (88%), panelists prefered Tofu from Lembang for flavour test (82%).

Evaluation of Acoustic Reflex Thresholds in COVID-19 Patients With Taste Disorders

Objective: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection, can result in persistent loss of taste and smell. This study was performed to assess acoustic reflex threshold (ART) in patients with taste disorders caused by SARS-CoV-2. Material and Methods: This retrospective study enrolled 11 patients (9 men, 2 women; average age = 22.3 years) with a history of COVID-19 and had complaints of taste disorder and sensitivity to loud sounds. The control group consisted of 13 healthy participants (10 men, 3 women; average age = 23.4 years). Anamnesis, neuro-otological, ear, nose and throat, and eye examinations, as well as a taste test, pure tone audiometry, speech discrimination test, and impedance audiometry were performed in all participants. Results: All participants in the study group had a negative taste test result. In addition, ART values were significantly higher in the study group than the control group at all frequencies. Conclusions: SARS-CoV-2 could be a neurotropic virus that can cause facial nerve neuropathy.

Review of "The long table cookbook: Plant-based recipes for optimal health—nourishing food for small and large gatherings."

The Long Table Cookbook is a book on plant-based recipes for optimal health that offers recipes for small and large gatherings. Arriving, as it did, at the dawn of the pandemic era, presented obstacles and opportunities for the review of the book and its recipes. Applying principles of community, collaboration and experiential exploration, the authors of this review--a researcher, a young vegan and a tween--offer a narrative review of the process and sometimes surprising taste test adventures.

Effects of prefrontal theta burst stimulation on neuronal activity and subsequent eating behavior: an interleaved rTMS and fNIRS study

The dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC) and dorsomedial prefrontal cortex (dmPFC) are BOTH important nodes for self-control and decision-making but through separable processes (cognitive control vs evaluative processing). This study aimed to examine the effects of excitatory brain stimulation [intermittent theta burst stimulation (iTBS)] targeting the dlPFC and dmPFC on eating behavior. iTBS was hypothesized to decrease consumption of appetitive snack foods, via enhanced interference control for dlPFC stimulation and reduced delay discounting (DD) for dmPFC stimulation. Using a single-blinded, between-subjects design, participants (N = 43) were randomly assigned to ONE OF three conditions: (i) iTBS targeting the left dlPFC, (ii) iTBS targeting bilateral dmPFC or (iii) sham. Participants then completed two cognitive tasks (DD and Flanker), followed by a BOGUS taste test. Functional near-infrared spectroscopy imaging revealed that increases in the medial prefrontal cortex activity were evident in the dmPFC stimulation group during the DD task; likewise, a neural efficiency effect was observed in the dlPFC stimulation group during the Flanker. Gender significantly moderated during the taste test, with females in the dmPFC showing paradoxical increases in food consumption compared to sham. Findings suggest that amplification of evaluative processing may facilitate eating indulgence when preponderant social cues are permissive and food is appetitive.

Analisis Kualitas Sensori Ikan Asap Berbahan Bakar Briket Campuran (Arang Bonggol Jagung dan Daun Jati) dan Bahan Bakar Kayu

This study aims to analyze the sensory quality of smoked fish using mixed briquette fuel (teak leaves and corncob charcoal) with 5% and 10% adhesives with smoked fish using wood fuel. The wood used for comparison is ruby (soft texture) and mahogany (hard texture). Sensory analysis in this study emphasizes the appearances, colors, smells, tastes and textures of smoked fish. To determine whether there is a significant difference or not of the four treatments on the results of smoking fish,this study use Analysis of Varians (Anova). The results showed that there were significant differences between the four methods of feeding fish using briquette and wood fuel on appearances, colors, smells and textures. The appearance, color and aroma that dominate the specifications of other smoked fish are smoked fish with 10% adhesive briquette fuel treatment. The texture of smoked fish with mahogany wood fuel shows better specifications than asp fish with other treatments. Because there is a significant difference, a further test is carried out using BNJ Test. BNJ Test must be done to find out the distinguishing relationship between samples. Whereas in the taste test, there was no significant difference from the treatments

Fibre Content and Fibre Fortification of Menu Items Served to Sherbrooke Community Centre Residents on Texture Modified Diets

Background: Research has shown regular and texture modified menus in long term care (LTC) homes provide less than the recommended Dietary Reference Intake for dietary fibre. Constipation may result from inadequate fibre intake and be treated with laxatives and enemas, which may have implications for quality of life. Increasing the amount of fibre provided from texture modified diets may decrease use of such treatments and improve daily fibre intake. Objective: This study was part of a health improvement initiative for residents at Sherbrooke Community Centre (SCC). The goal of this study was to measure the baseline amount of fibre provided to residents on texture modified diets and to increase fibre provision by 5-10 grams per day. Methods: This study involved: 1) determining the fibre content of the texture modified menu for residents on pureed and minced diets; 2) identifying fibres and foods suitable for a fibre fortification trial; 3) conducting a fibre fortification trial and identifying fibre-food combinations for a taste test; and 4) conducting a taste test with SCC staff to assess acceptability of fibre fortified menu items. Thirty SCC staff were included. Results: The average daily fibre provided was 13.4 grams. The fibre fortified foods best accepted by participants were mashed potatoes with red lentils, pudding with pea hull fibre, and gravy with pea hull fibre. Implications: We recommended SCC incorporate the best accepted fibre fortified menu items into their regular and texture modified menus, allowing the daily average amount of fibre to increase by 5.39 grams per day.