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Implications of Taste and Smell in Eating Behaviors and Health Outcomes

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A special issue of Nutrients (ISSN 2072-6643). This special issue belongs to the section "Nutrition and Public Health".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (25 July 2024) | Viewed by 10002

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Dr. Andrew Costanzo

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Guest Editor

CASS Food Research Centre, School of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences, Deakin University, Melbourne, VIC 3125, Australia
Interests: taste; alimentary taste; nutrition; taste modulation; taste receptors

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Chemosensation, which includes taste and smell, is a critical process to human life as it is the first stage of food consumption. These interrelated sensory systems detect a diverse range of chemicals in the oral and nasal cavities which determine food preferences and form the basis of dietary behavior. In addition, chemosensation can trigger a range of physiological events that influence subsequent appetitive and digestive activity. The loss or dysfunction of chemosensation is also associated with some diseases, such as COVID-19 and cancer. Thus, taste and smell are ultimately connected to eating behavior and health.

Much of the developed world is facing issues in terms of diet-related disease due to excess food consumption. Ongoing research on chemosensation will be key to understanding dietary patterns and health outcomes and will contribute to the body of literature intended to reduce the burden of chronic disease.

This Special Issue aims to assemble recent advancements in research on the implications of taste and smell in health at individual and population levels. This includes, but is not limited to, understanding the link between chemosensory sensitivity and eating behavior, the loss or gain of taste and smell, chemosensation and disease, and chemosensory transduction and signaling.

Dr. Andrew Costanzo
Guest Editor

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Keywords

taste
smell
eating behavior
health
nutrition
food preference
public health
chronic disease

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Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

15 pages, 1842 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Beyond Distracted Eating: Cognitive Distraction Downregulates Odor Pleasantness and Interacts with Weight Status

by Iryna Ruda, Deepak Charles Chellapandian, Marlene Rott, Selina Scheid and Jessica Freiherr

Nutrients 2024, 16(17), 2871; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu16172871 - 27 Aug 2024

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1634

Abstract

Considering the widespread issue of distracted eating, our study investigates how cognitive distraction influences the sensory perception of food-related odors among individuals with varying weight statuses. We conducted an exploratory, randomized, and cross-sectional experimental study, using the Tetris game to simulate real-life cognitive distraction, incorporating two distraction levels (low and high) and presenting five distinct odors. A total of 59 participants, categorized into a lean (n = 30) and overweight/obese group (n = 29) based on their body mass index (BMI), received odor stimuli while playing Tetris at low and high difficulty, corresponding to low and high distraction levels, respectively. Participants subsequently rated odor intensity and pleasantness under the two cognitive distraction conditions. Respiratory movements were monitored to ensure accurate olfactory stimulation. Our findings revealed no significant difference in odor intensity ratings across distraction levels (p = 0.903). However, there was a significant reduction in odor pleasantness under high cognitive distraction (p = 0.007), more pronounced in lean participants compared to those with an overweight status (p = 0.035). Additionally, an interaction between gender and cognitive distraction effects was observed in odor pleasantness perception. The differential effects of distraction across weight-status groups and genders are discussed in the context of hedonic motivation and compensatory mechanisms. This study sheds light onto the sensory mechanisms underlying distracted eating and could inform more personalized strategies for promoting healthier eating habits in a world dominated by distractions. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Implications of Taste and Smell in Eating Behaviors and Health Outcomes)

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17 pages, 1341 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Concentration of Salivary Extracellular Vesicles Is Related to Obesity

by Kristin Röhrborn, Martin Krueger, Mirjam Kalusa, Simone A. Fietz, Alexander Ewe, Achim Aigner, Michael Stumvoll, Peter Kovacs, Matthias Blüher, Imke Schamarek and Kerstin Rohde-Zimmermann

Nutrients 2024, 16(16), 2633; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu16162633 - 9 Aug 2024

Viewed by 1692

Abstract

Background and aims: Saliva is essential for the proper dilution and distribution of taste molecules on the tongue. It harbors extracellular vesicles (EVs), which mediate cell–cell communication. Changes in the composition of salivary EVs may arise under obese conditions and may potentially be involved in taste sensation and dysregulated eating behavior. Therefore, this study addresses the relationship between the size and concentration of salivary EVs and metabolic shifts in obesity or factors of taste sensation. Materials and methods: A total of 119 participants in the Obese Taste Bud (OTB) Study were included, who performed a standardized taste test, underwent taste bud density assessment, and were phenotypically characterized for anthropometrics, blood- and saliva adipokine levels, and various metabolic factors. Utilizing size exclusion chromatography followed by ultrafiltration, EVs were extracted from 2 mL of actively secreted saliva. EVs were characterized using nanoparticle tracking analyses, Western blot, and scanning transmission electron microscopy. Finally, group comparisons and bivariate correlation analyses were conducted. Results: Among the total cohort, the median size of salivary EVs was 190.05 nm, and the overall concentration ranged from 1.4 × 10⁷ to 1.76 × 10⁹ per mL of saliva. The size range and concentration of EVs per mL are negatively correlated (p = 0.0002, r = −0.264). Comparing lean participants (mean rank of 45.98) with those presenting obesity (mean rank of 34.46), a significant difference in the salivary EV content was observed (p = 0.029). Body weight, BMI, arm and calf circumferences, as well as the percentage of body fat were all negatively related to the concentration of EVs in all study participants (all p < 0.05, r > −0.2). No associations were found between the EV parameters and taste perception but serum alkaline phosphatase levels were negatively correlated (p = 0.007, r = −0.284) and adiponectin serum levels were positively correlated to the EV concentration (p = 0.036, r = 0.208). Conclusion: The current study provides evidence for the relation between salivary EVs and anthropometric as well as metabolic parameters of obesity. This can provide the basis for further research on the cargo of salivary EVs and how they may influence taste sensation, and may elucidate their potential connection to altered eating habits in obesity. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Implications of Taste and Smell in Eating Behaviors and Health Outcomes)

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26 pages, 2421 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Efficacy and Safety of Habitual Consumption of a Food Supplement Containing Miraculin in Malnourished Cancer Patients: The CLINMIR Pilot Study

by Bricia López-Plaza, Ana Isabel Álvarez-Mercado, Lucía Arcos-Castellanos, Julio Plaza-Diaz, Francisco Javier Ruiz-Ojeda, Marco Brandimonte-Hernández, Jaime Feliú-Batlle, Thomas Hummel, Ángel Gil and Samara Palma-Milla

Nutrients 2024, 16(12), 1905; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu16121905 - 17 Jun 2024

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 3500

Abstract

Taste disorders (TDs) are common among systemically treated cancer patients and negatively impact their nutritional status and quality of life. The novel food approved by the European Commission (EFSA), dried miracle berries (DMB), contains the natural taste-modifying protein miraculin. DMB, also available as a supplement, has emerged as a possible alternative treatment for TDs. The present study aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of habitual DMB consumption in malnourished cancer patients undergoing active treatment. An exploratory clinical trial was carried out in which 31 cancer patients were randomized into three arms [standard dose of DMB (150 mg DMB/tablet), high dose of DMB (300 mg DMB/tablet) or placebo (300 mg freeze-dried strawberry)] for three months. Patients consumed a DMB tablet or placebo daily before each main meal (breakfast, lunch, and dinner). Throughout the five main visits, electrochemical taste perception, nutritional status, dietary intake, quality of life and the fatty acid profile of erythrocytes were evaluated. Patients consuming a standard dose of DMB exhibited improved taste acuity over time (% change right/left side: −52.8 ± 38.5/−58.7 ± 69.2%) and salty taste perception (2.29 ± 1.25 vs. high dose: 2.17 ± 1.84 vs. placebo: 1.57 ± 1.51 points, p < 0.05). They also had higher energy intake (p = 0.075) and covered better energy expenditure (107 ± 19%). The quality of life evaluated by symptom scales improved in patients receiving the standard dose of DMB (constipation, p = 0.048). The levels of arachidonic (13.1 ± 1.8; 14.0 ± 2.8, 12.0 ± 2.0%; p = 0.004) and docosahexaenoic (4.4 ± 1.7; 4.1 ± 1.0; 3.9 ± 1.6%; p = 0.014) acids in erythrocytes increased over time after DMB intake. The standard dose of DMB increased fat-free mass vs. placebo (47.4 ± 9.3 vs. 44.1 ± 4.7 kg, p = 0.007). Importantly, habitual patients with DMB did not experience any adverse events, and metabolic parameters remained stable and within normal ranges. In conclusion, habitual consumption of a standard 150 mg dose of DMB improves electrochemical food perception, nutritional status (energy intake, fat quantity and quality, fat-free mass), and quality of life in malnourished cancer patients receiving antineoplastic treatment. Additionally, DMB consumption appears to be safe, with no changes in major biochemical parameters associated with health status. Clinical trial registered (NCT05486260). Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Implications of Taste and Smell in Eating Behaviors and Health Outcomes)

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17 pages, 904 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Carbohydrate Oral Rinsing, Cycling Performance and Individual Complex Carbohydrate Taste Sensitivity

by Claudia Hartley, Amelia Carr, Spencer S. H. Roberts, Wender L. P. Bredie and Russell S. J. Keast

Nutrients 2024, 16(3), 459; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu16030459 - 5 Feb 2024

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2630

Abstract

The aim of this pilot study was to determine the effect of individual complex carbohydrate taste sensitivity on cycling performance with complex carbohydrate oral rinsing. Ten male participants completed five cycling time trials in a fasted state with a seven-day washout period between each trial. Participants completed a fixed amount of work (738.45 ± 150.74 kJ) as fast as possible on a cycle ergometer while rinsing with an oral rinse for 10 s every 12.5% of the trial. An oral rinse (maltodextrin, oligofructose, glucose, sucralose or water control) was given per visit in a randomised, crossover, blinded design. Afterwards, participants had their taste assessed with three stimuli, complex carbohydrate (maltodextrin), sweet (glucose) and sour (citric acid), using taste assessment protocol to determine individual taste sensitivity status. Participants were subsequently grouped according to their complex carbohydrate taste sensitivity and complex carbohydrate taste intensity. There were no significant effects of the oral rinses on cycling performance time (p = 0.173). Participants who did not have improvements in exercise performance with the maltodextrin rinse experienced a stronger taste intensity with complex carbohydrate stimuli at baseline (p = 0.047) and overall (p = 0.047) than those who did have improvements in performance. Overall, a carbohydrate oral rinse was ineffective in significantly improving cycling performance in comparison with a water control. However, when participants were grouped according to complex carbohydrate taste intensity, differences in exercise performance suggest that individual sensitivity status to complex carbohydrates could impact the efficacy of a carbohydrate-based oral rinse. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Implications of Taste and Smell in Eating Behaviors and Health Outcomes)

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