The Chemical Senses: Taste and Smell

Taste. The stimuli for taste are chemical substances dissolved in water or other fluids. Taste can
be described as four basic sensations, sweet, sour, salty, and bitter, which can be combined in
various ways to make all other taste sensations. Taste receptors (called taste buds) for these
sensations are located primarily on various areas of the tongue: front, sweet; sides, sour; sides
and front, salty; and back, bitter (Figure ). There are about 10,000 taste buds, which are situated
primarily in or around the bumps (papillae) on the tongue. Each papilla contains several taste
buds, from which information is sent by afferent nerves to the thalamus and, ultimately, to areas
in the cortex.
Smell (olfaction). The stimuli for smell are volatile chemical substances suspended in the air.
These molecules stimulate the olfactory receptors, which are in the upper portions of the nasal
passages. Neurons from these receptors bundle together to form the olfactory nerve, which
travels to the olfactory bulb at the base of the brain. The theory of smell is not well understood
(for example, how an odor of apple pie can evoked pleasant childhood memories).
An appreciation of the flavor of foods requires the diverse interaction of several sensory
systems. Taste and smell are the principal systems for distinguishing flavors. However, tactile,
thermal, and nociceptive sensory input from the oral mucosa contributes to food quality. Saliva
also is an important factor in maintaining acuity of taste receptor cells (Figure 9.1). Its
mechanisms of action include; acting as a solvent for polar solutes, transporting solutes to the
taste receptors, buffering action for acidic foods and reparative action on the lingual epithelium
Taste buds are located on papillae and distributed on the surface of the tongue. Taste buds are
also found on the oral. mucosa of the palate and epiglottis. These pear-shaped structures contain
about 80 cells arranged around a central taste pore