Effect of Temperature on the Intensity of Basic Tastes: Sweet, Salty and Sour

Sensory panels were trained to identify specific concentrations of sucrose, sodium chloride and citric acid as an intensity level value of 6 on a 15-point scale for flavors of sweet, salty and sour, respectively. Trained panels were exposed to a single concentration of each taste singly, in combinations of 2 and all three at 3 temperatures (3°C, 23°C, 60°C) using concentrations previously identified at an intensity level of 6. Panelists determined the perceived intensity of each taste at each temperature in the single and combined treatments. Sweetness was perceived as more intense at 60°C than 23°C and 3°C when tasted alone but not when in combination with other tastes (salty and sour). Salty perceived intensity was not affected by serving temperature while sourness was perceived as more intense at 23°C compared to 3°C and 60°C. In general, perceived sweetness was less suppressed when combined with other tastes than salty and sour.