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This study aims to investigate the literature concerning the five basic tastes and find out who contributed to these publications, where they were published and what concepts were investigated.

The Web of Science was searched to identify the relevant articles. For each paper, the full record and cited references were analyzed.

Sweetness received the most attention, with 6,445 publications, 144,648 citations and h-index of 137. It was followed by bitterness (5,606 publications and 125,525 citations), sourness (1,841 publications and 40,696 citations), umami (1,569 publications and 39,120 citations) and saltiness (1,547 publications and 33,627 citations). Though umami taste had similar publication number as salty and sour tastes, it had the highest number of average citations per publication (24.9). The USA, Japan, Germany and England were major contributors to research on every basic taste. Chemical Senses was the major outlet of taste papers. Terms from the titles suggested that multiple tastes were often co-investigated. Ikeda (1909) and Kodama (1913) were identified as the seminal references that laid the foundation of umami research.

Umami, although only added relatively late to the family of basic tastes, is a highly investigated principle that receives similar amount of attention as some other basic tastes, such as sourness and saltiness.

The purpose of this paper is to explore Chinese consumers’ perceptions towards a luxury seafood – lobster, and identify the important perceptions that influence Chinese consumers’ general image of lobster. It also recognises Chinese consumer segments based on their perceptions towards lobster.

The data were collected through an online survey (n=882, in two Chinese cities: Shanghai and Qingdao). The surveys explored consumer’s perceptions and general image of lobster. Descriptive analysis, partial least squares regression and cluster analysis were conducted for data analyses.

Findings show that the most important perceptions regarding lobster by Chinese consumers are umami, delicious, high in protein, expensive, nutritious, upscale, red colour and bring back appetite. Chinese consumers’ general image of lobster is positively linked to perception items, such as delicious, western flavour, umami, nutritious, high in protein, enjoy, upscale and appetite; and is negatively linked to perception items: spicy/hot, Chinese flavour and risk in illness. Three consumer segments are identified: western-flavour-lovers (35.4 per cent), Chinese-flavour-lovers (32.8 per cent) and negative-believers (31.8 per cent). Significant differences were recognised in the socio-demographic distribution among these three segments including, city, income, marital status, educational level, occupation and age.

This is the first study to present information regarding consumers’ perceptions, general image and segments towards luxury seafood in the world’s largest East-Asian country – China. The findings from this study can help global seafood marketers and exporters to better understand Chinese consumers which should assist them in developing effective marketing strategies for their luxury seafood products in this major market.

Umami (the so‐called fifth basic taste in addition to sweet, sour, salt and bitter) is the descriptive term given to glutamate found naturally in foods or added as the flavour‐enhancer monosodium glutamate, as well as other combinations of glutamate and nucleotides. Discusses natural sources of glutamate, as well as commercial production and uses of these flavour‐enhancers. Reviews legislation, thus providing a rounded up‐to‐date picture of this new and fascinating subject area.

Describes how and where we perceive the sense of taste, the traditional four basic taste sensations, and why different parts of the mouth are more or less sensitive to a particular one. Outlines types of compounds having a particular taste with some relationships between and anomalies of their chemical structure and the taste sensation they elicit, together with individual variation in tasting sensitivity and factors affecting this, such as adaptation. Summarizes interesting taste phenomena including: taste blindness; taste modification; the role of heavy metals in taste perception. Describes the additional taste sensations that have been proposed such as: umami; water‐taste; metallic; alkalinity and other gustatory effects such as pungency (burning sensation), cooling and astringency.

The purpose of this paper is to evaluate a shiitake mushroom extract as a potential natural taste enhancer in low-sodium beef burgers by means of sensorial and physico-chemical assays because nowadays there is a trend in the market for the development of clean-label products.

Ten formulations of beef burgers were developed, varying in the percentage reduction in NaCl (0-75 per cent) and mushroom water extracts (obtained from a 5, 12.5, or 20 per cent mushroom homogenate). Sensory characterisation was performed by time-intensity (TI) and acceptance tests. In addition, physico-chemical analyses (pH, yield, shrinkage, shear force, and colour) were conducted.

Extracts obtained from 5, 12.5, or 20 per cent mushroom homogenate (E1, E2, and E3, respectively) did not enhance the salty taste in formulations with a 0 or 75 per cent reduction in NaCl. In formulations with a 50 per cent reduction in NaCl, all the extracts enhanced salinity perception, with E3 being the most effective. E3 also increased acceptance of colour, aroma, texture, flavour, and overall perception, although it caused changes in some physico-chemical characteristics (pH, yield, shrinkage, shear force, and colour).

The shiitake mushroom extract is a natural ingredient with a potential to serve as a taste enhancer in meat and other food products, for the purpose of reducing sodium content without compromising sensory acceptability. Therefore, this extract will enable the development of healthier products (owing to a reduction in sodium) with preserved sensory quality and will meet consumers’ requirements for the minimal use of chemical additives in food.

The purpose of this paper is to examine the influences of consumer perceptions of labelled information and sensory attributes on consumers’ intention to buy fresh milk.

An experiment was conducted on 117 consumers in a lab at a university. After closely inspecting the labels’ information and tasting two types of milk, participants were asked to fill in a questionnaire, using the direct interview method. Exploratory factor analysis, confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modelling were applied to analyse the data.

The results show that products’ labelled information and the sensory perceptions increase the buying intention of both ultra-high temperature treated fresh milk (UFM) and pasteurised fresh milk (PFM). The sensory perceptions of PFM can mediate the relationship between products’ labels and consumer buying intentions, but this relationship is not true for UFM. According to our results, nutritional facts and taking responsibility for one’s health are the keys to fresh milk commercialisation in terms of higher relative weights and commonness.

Although the sensory aspects of milk have been rigorously evaluated in the food science literature, to the best of the authors’ knowledge, few studies have focussed on the sensory perceptions of fresh milk incorporating process categories (UFM and PFM) and their mediating effect between labelled information and buying intention in the social sciences. The study is pioneering in that it investigates the perceptions of sensory attributes affecting consumer purchasing decisions for fresh milk in an emerging market.

Previous studies suggest that the care for elderly prisoners is a growing problem. The emerging phenomenon such as the correctional ageing crisis is an urgent concern that needs to be collectively and holistically addressed from a multi-sectoral perspective. In a developing country, like the Philippines, where prison congestion is alarming, the need for more empirical investigations that probe into the prison life and services is warranted to better inform penal policy and practice that would improve health outcomes among incarcerated individuals. The purpose of this study is to examine the extent to which depression among Filipino elderly prisoners shape their food choices.

A survey of 160 Filipino elderly prisoners of age 60 and above from October to November 2018 was conducted using a three-part research instrument, which consists of a personal and nutrition-related checklist, 15-point geriatric depression scale and a set of cards that were ranked and sorted through the balanced incomplete block design.

Results of the survey were subjected to conjoint analysis and structural equation modeling using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences 24. Interestingly, taste was the most considered attribute (30.765%) while portion size (9.759%) is the least considered by the Filipino elderly prisoners. Notably, depression has a significant positive effect on their food preferences in all attributes except portion size.

This study was limited to two prison settings in the Philippines. Considering the results from the conjoint analysis, strategies can be developed in designing an individualized meal plan suitable for the needs of each elderly prisoner. Also, sizeable government appropriations should be in place to ensure the nutritional quality of food served to aging Filipino prisoners.

Provisions for a pool of nutritionists working hand in hand with other health members would guarantee a prison system that promotes the overall well-being of each prisoner. Further, this study can contribute valuable inputs in the menu cycle practice of prisons in the country. There may be a need to prioritize the nutritional aspect of these vulnerable and deprived groups so as to promote a better quality of life among elderly prisoners. Also, other forms of psychosocial, physical and spiritual health activities extended to elderly prisoners may prevent depressive symptoms.

Conjoint analysis is remarkably gaining prominence in not only the health-care setting (Phillips et al., 2002; Ryan and Farrar, 2000) but also the field of nutrition. It holds a number of unique and practical promises to prison settings.

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the influences of the interactions of taste, colour and labelling on sensory perception, liking and identification of saffroned products.

The consumer and discrimination tests (N=120, 18, 25, 78, for Experiments 1–4, respectively) were conducted. The analyses of discrimination tests were performed using the Thurstonian model and R-index. The results from consumer studies were analysed using the Kruskal–Wallis test, penalty analysis and correlation matrix.

The study revealed that saffron can interact with the perception of sour and bitter taste and has no significant effects on the sweetness. The colour and labelling generated expectations for quality and sweetness of the samples. When the disparity between the expectation and actual experience was occurred resulted in contrast/assimilation effects on the hedonic ratings and negatively impacted consumer acceptability of the product.

This study showed that the visual cues can modulate the expectation for particular sensory perceptions and also affect the hedonic experiences. Saffron adulteration can be identified by the consumers and can result in a significant decrease in the acceptability of the products. Hence, the practice of substituting saffron with ingredients with a similar colour in these products can be detrimental for business. Additionally, it was revealed that saffron colour is associated with the expected and actual sweet taste perception. Therefore, it is possible to manipulate yellow colour cues to reduce sweeteners in different food products that contain saffron.

The sensory characteristics and consumer perception of saffron have been rarely studied. This study revealed that flavour perception and quality determination of saffroned foods involves the combinations of different sensory modalities and cognitive (expectancy) inputs.

To better understand fruit consumption and its determinants this paper aims to explore the relationship between the consumption of different types of fruit and other snacks and consumer taste preferences for sweet, salty and sour is explored.

Respondents (n=2,083) from Poland, Greece, Spain and The Netherlands filled out an online questionnaire in which the consumption of fresh fruit, sweet snacks, salty snacks, orange juice and dried fruit was measured as well as consumer self‐reported taste preferences and personal orientations towards health, convenience, price and routine behaviours.

A total of 29 percent of the total sample preferred salty tastes, whereas 21 percent preferred sweet tastes; 1 percent preferred sour tastes, and 39 percent indicated no preference. In contrast with the expectation that people who preferred sweet tastes consume more fruits and fruit products, the results imply that consumers with a sour taste preference consume more fruits and fruit products. In addition, consumers with a sour taste preference seem to be less convenience‐oriented and have more routine behaviours with regard to fruit. In contrast, consumers with a sweet taste preference eat more chocolate bars and are more convenience‐oriented.

The self‐reported measurement of taste preferences requires further justification to be used as a measurement instrument, e.g. formulation of the items, different cultures and linkage with preferences based on sensory testing.

These findings show that the sweet tooth hypothesis is much more complicated if we consider not only consumption, but also self‐reported taste preferences.

The paper explores self‐reported taste preferences, the sweet tooth hypotheses and fruit consumption.