Umami Taste Intensity and Meal Intake

Summary

Sweet and salty tastes can influence food intake. Increased intensity of these tastes has been shown to decrease food intake and increase satiation compared to the less intense taste, independent of palatability. Umami taste intensity has been shown to reduce subsequent food intake, especially when paired with protein content in foods. Taste can be related with nutrient content of the diet, with sweet foods having carbohydrates, salty foods containing sodium, and umami foods containing protein.

However, no study has yet investigated the impact of umami and food intake, using the approach of similar palatability and differing taste intensity levels. Given its relationship with nutrient signaling, it is important to explore the relationship between umami intensity and satiation. Therefore, this study aims to compare ad libitum food intake of two levels with similar palatability and differing umami taste intensities (high and low) to food intake from a meal with optimum taste intensity.

Study population 40-50 healthy, normal weight participants from Wageningen and surroundings will be included. Previous studies have applied this method in sweet and salty tastes with 15-59 participants.

Test session 1: Hedonic mapping Determine individual's most preferred level of umami taste in 6 risotto samples, using pairwise staircase comparison. Samples will contain a fixed level of salt (0.2 w/w%), and MSG concentrations ranging from 0.2-2.1 w/w%. Per individual, The optimal tasting MSG intensity will be selected based on forced choice.

Test session 2, 3 and 4: ad libitum risotto lunch meals In a randomized cross-over design, participants will receive the optimum, high and low MSG risotto. The following will be measured:

* Test meal consumption (primary outcome);
* Meal liking after one bite;
* Water consumption;
* Absolute taste intensity ratings of the meal;
* Relative taste intensity ratings of the meal;
* Habitual dietary taste exposure (tasteFFQ).

Study procedures Subjects will be provided with a standardized breakfast and to not consume anything between breakfast and lunch session. This will be validated upon arrival to the lunch meal. They will also be asked to refrain from eating for one hour after the test session. Participants will be asked to fill in the tasteFFQ, to investigate the link between dietary taste patterns and hedonic umami taste ratings.

Data analysis Data will be analyzed using Rstudio. First, normality will be assessed, and data will be normalized if needed. Difference in food intake in grams between the three intensities will be compared using ANOVA. A post-hoc test will be applied if statistical outcomes are significant. Categorical variables will be compared using Chi-square test.

Conditions

• Taste Sensitivity
• Umami Taste Perception
• Food Intake Regulation
• Hedonic Function
• Palatability

Interventions

OTHER

Hedonic mapping

During the first session, participants will be presented with 2 risotto samples simultaneously, differing in MSG content and thus umami taste intensity, by PCA. First, samples will be presented in ascending concentration, with the best rated sample (forced choice) from the previous round, and the next concentration. This will be replicated in descending order. Based on these individual outcomes, umami taste intensities of the ad libitum test meals will be calculated per participant.

OTHER

Ad libitum risotto test meal

During the ad libitum test meal, participants will be presented with 1200 grams of risotto with either high-, low-, or optimum umami taste intensity.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Wageningen University

  lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

• Monica Mars, PhD · WUR

• Ciaran Forde, PhD · Wageningen University

Study Design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

BASIC_SCIENCE

Masking

SINGLE

Model

CROSSOVER

Eligibility

Min Age

18 Years

Max Age

55 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2025-09-15

Primary Completion

2025-10-21

Completion

2025-10-21

Countries

• Netherlands

Study Locations