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Sensory Adaptation

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Introduction:
Adaptation in sensory evaluation of food refers to the slow drop of sensation (in constant magnitude) after the stimulus has been fully switched on (Lawless & Heyman, 1993). They also added that after a certain time this sensation can completely disappear or in some instances the taste persists that shows a degree of taste adaptation. This idea usually occurs when the perceived taste intensity of one product reduces the other different product. For example, water can taste sour or bitter after a salt adaptation. On the other hand, taste interaction masks the interaction between mixtures of different tastes (Lawless & Heyman, 1993). A solution of sucrose (sweet) and quinine (bitter) will taste less sweet than a pure …show more content…

In the second experiment the participants assessed sourness intensity of five differently coded samples similarly to the first experiment. However, the sixth sample was evaluated according to its sweetness in the range 0-10.
The third and fourth experiments evaluated the sweet intensity (0 – 10) of sample coded 565 and 401 respectively; participants washing their mouths between tastings.
For the last experiment, the participants were given a liquid and rated the taste and flavour intensities while holding their noses. They repeated the process after releasing their noses and drinking simultaneously. The participants were then required to identify the unknown liquid by smelling.

Results:
Figure 1: Results from experiment 1

Figure 1 depicts average sourness scores and error bars from experiment 1 for each of the six solutions. There were 64 participants

Figure 2: Results from experiment 2

Figure 2 from experiment 2 summarises the average sourness scores and error bars for the first five samples (64 participants). For sample 423* the average sweetness score is given, both scales being 0 – 10
Figure 3: Results from experiment 3 and 4

Figure 3 gives the average sweetness score with error bars (n=64) for samples 565 (experiment 3) and sample 401 (experiment 4).

Figure 4: Results from experiment 5

Figure 4 gives the average taste intensities observed for each phase for the unknown liquid sample 932 for the whole

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