Taste Thresholds, Cigarette Smoking, and Food Dislikes

Abstract

Taste thresholds for quinine sulfate, U.S.P., and 6-n-propylthiouracil, U.S.P. (PROP) of 127 subjects, mostly college students, were determined twice with a modification of the Harris-Kalmus procedure including the final sorting out technique. The data were analyzed in relation to the smoking habits of the same individuals. In addition 42 of the above volunteers were subjected to taste threshold determinations for sodium chloride, hydrochloric acid and sucrose. These latter data were analyzed in relation to food aversions using a listing of 118 foods excluding those unfamiliar or never tasted. The proportion of smokers is lower among sensitive tasters of quinine than among insensitive tasters. The converse relationship is similarly true. Krut et al. also found a similar correlation between smoking and taste insensitivity to bitter compounds. These correlations are analogous to those which we observed between high food dislikes and low (sensitive) taste thresholds for quinine. No significant correlation was observed between amount of foods disliked and taste thresholds for hydrochloric acid, sodium chloride and sucrose. This is analogous to a report by Krut et al. which indicates lack of correlation between smoking and taste thresholds for sweet, sour and salty. Apparently, food and cigarette aversions are analogously related to taste thresholds for the four "classical" taste qualities.