Taste is a fundamental mechanism whereby compounds are detected orally, yet it is highly variable among individuals. The variability in taste that is attributable to genetics is not well-characterized despite its potential role in food selection, and therefore, eating habits that contribute to risk of overweight and obesity. In order to implicate measures of taste function and preference as potentially deterministic factors in adverse eating behaviors that lead to obesity, it must be shown that a relationship exists between genetic variation in taste receptor genes and psychophysical measures of taste in the absence high body mass index. The primary objective of this pilot study was to investigate the relationship between single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in taste receptor genes and 3 different psychophysical measures of taste in healthy young adults. Sweet, salt, umami, fat, sour, and bitter taste receptor gene SNPs were genotyped in 49 participants (ages 24.6 ± 0.6 years) who completed testing to determine oral detection threshold (DT), suprathreshold sensitivity (ST) and taste preference (PR). A simultaneous association test was conducted between each SNP and the 3 taste outcomes (DT, ST, and PR). Twelve SNPs were associated with at least one of the 3 taste outcomes. Associations were observed between SNPs in taste receptor genes and psychophysical measures of sweet, fat, umami, and salt taste. These results suggest that differences in interindividual psychophysical measures of tastes, namely DT, ST, and PR, may be partially attributed to genetic variation in taste receptor genes. Future studies are warranted to investigate if these findings have consequences for habitual dietary intake of foods that elicit these tastes.

中文翻译：

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甜味、脂肪、鲜味、咸味、苦味和酸味受体基因的单核苷酸多态性与年轻人的味觉功能和味觉偏好有关

味觉是一种基本机制，通过口服检测化合物，但它在个体之间变化很大。尽管遗传在口味上的潜在作用以及导致超重和肥胖风险的饮食习惯中的潜在作用，但归因于遗传的口味变异并未得到很好的表征。为了将味觉功能和偏好的测量作为导致肥胖的不良饮食行为的潜在决定性因素，必须证明在没有高体重指数的情况下，味觉受体基因的遗传变异与味觉的心理物理学测量之间存在关系. 这项初步研究的主要目的是调查味觉受体基因中的单核苷酸多态性 (SNP) 与健康年轻人的 3 种不同的味觉心理物理测量之间的关系。甜、盐、鲜味、脂肪、酸味和苦味受体基因 SNP 在 49 名完成测试的参与者（年龄 24.6 ± 0.6 岁）中进行基因分型，以确定口腔检测阈值 (DT)、超阈值敏感性 (ST) 和味觉偏好 (PR) ）。在每个 SNP 和 3 个味觉结果（DT、ST 和 PR）之间进行了同时关联测试。12 个 SNP 与 3 种口味结果中的至少一种相关。观察到味觉受体基因中的 S​​NP 与甜味、脂肪、鲜味和盐味的心理物理量度之间存在关联。这些结果表明，个体间味觉心理物理测量的差异，即 DT、ST 和 PR，可能部分归因于味觉受体基因的遗传变异。未来的研究需要调查这些发现是否会对引起这些味道的食物的习惯性饮食摄入产生影响。