John Horne

The taste of calcium and magnesium salts and anionic modifications

Abstract Taste properties of divalent salts are complex. The first study examined the taste profiles of calcium chloride, magnesium chloride and magnesium sulfate. These divalent cation salts were characterized primarily by bitter taste, with additional sensations described as salty, metallic, astringent, sour and sweet, generally in decreasing order of intensity. A second study examined the taste properties of calcium salts other than chloride. Calcium gluconate, calcium glycerophosphate and calcium lactate had lower salty and bitter responses than equimolar concentrations of calcium chloride, an effect suggesting anionic inhibition.

The taste of calcium chloride in mixtures with NaCl, sucrose and citric acid

Abstract Calcium fortification is an increasingly common practice that is used to add nutritive value to many foods and beverages. A set of studies examined whether mixtures with other simple tastants would modify the tastes of calcium chloride. Mixtures with sucrose, citric acid or sodium chloride suppressed tastes of CaCl 2 , especially bitterness. Saltiness of NaCl was additive with the salty taste of CaCl 2 .

Sweet–sour mixture suppression in older and young adults

Abstract Prior to investigating the effect of sweet–sour taste mixtures in neurologic dysphagia patients, this study examined whether older adults exhibited a similar pattern of sweet–sour mixture suppression compared with young adults. Two experiments were conducted comparing healthy older and young subjects, using sucrose or aspartame mixed with citric acid, with and without lemon flavoring. Two experiments examined the effect of sweetener type and level, citric acid level, flavoring, and cold temperature with the young only. Sourness was suppressed by sweeteners, and sweetness was suppressed by citric acid at suprathreshold tastant levels typically seen in beverages. There was little to no effect of flavoring or cold temperatures on the pattern of suppression of sweetness or sourness. The older group showed similar sweet–sour mixture suppression patterns to the young. The lack of flavoring or cold temperatures during videofluoroscopic swallow studies will not impact sweet–sour mixture suppression effects.