EXPERIMENT 1 :

IDENTIFICATION OF BASIC TASTE, UMAMI TASTE AND SMELL/AROMA

ABSTRACT

Smell and taste belong to our chemical sensing system. The complicated processes of
smelling and tasting begin when molecules released by the substances around us stimulate
special nerve cells in the nose, mouth or throat. These cells transmit messages to the brain,
where specific smell or tastes are identified. Olfactory (smell nerve) cells are found in a tiny
patch of tissue high up in the nose and they connect directly to the brain while gustatory
(taste nerve) cells react to food and drink mixed with saliva and are clustered in the buds of
mouth and these cells send taste information to nearby nerve fibers which send messages to
the brain. For the identifying the four basic taste and umami, each student need to identify the
type of flavor that have been provided (sweet, sour, bitter and salty) while for determination
for smell, 3 student from each group need to identify the smell or aroma of food. There are 9
covered cup that they need to identify the smell. After finish all the examination, all the
student in this class can identify the taste and our group we get 6 true out of 9 for
determination test for smell.

OBJECTIVES

To identify the four basic taste and umami

To identify the different taste receptors ( and therefore different parts of the tongue)
are most sensitive to different tastes.
To describe the smell or aroma of food
To understand the smell pathway in food evaluation
 METHODOLOGY

A) Determination test for four basic taste and umami

Before tasting each sample, the distilled water was used to rinse mouth.

The examination was started from left to right and put the sample solution (20ml) in
mouth.

The taste was recorded in the table. ( mark 0 if the sample is plain water and mark (?) if not sure the taste)

B) DETERMINATION TEST FOR SMELL

There are 9 covered cup that was filled with sample.

The cover was slightly opened and smell the sample 3 times. After that, the cover was closed.

Finally, the smell of the sample was recorded and the answer was wrote in the column.

RESULT
 No 1 2 3 4 5 6
1 905 553 890 212 132 432
2 224 322 990 946 284 657
3 624 370 478 793 598 168
4 605 834 199 304 396 788
5 741 920 810 608 509 578
6 108 151 866 993 287 388
7 743 246 662 894 378 384
8 867 279 670 399 415 452
9 583 366 878 804 447 936
10 389 600 759 466 117 980
11 119 278 900 467 743 860
12 527 940 750 107 779 745
13 946 483 920 986 649 630
14 648 933 203 603 200 733
15 387 365 589 873 959 749

Table 1: Determination Test for Four Basic Test and Umami

DETERMINATION TEST FOR FOUR BASIC TASTE AND 'UMAMI'

16
14
12
10

Number of students 8
6
4
2
0
True 0

Figure 1: Determination Test for Four Basic Test and Umami

 \

Sample Code Smell identification

1) 750 Syrup + Vanilla

2) 689 Herbs
3) 246 Curry powder
4) 264 Syrup Bandung
5) 553 Plain Water
6) 655 Pandan
7) 157 Fresh Milk
8) 994 Curry + Milk
9) 247 Milk + Herbs

Table 2: Determination Test for Smell

DISCUSSION

In this experiment, we need to identify the four-basic taste and umami and
learn about the different taste receptors. We also need to describe smell or aroma of food.

First, the result for the first experiment which is determination of the for basic
taste and umami was successful. This is because all the experimenter got no wrong during
the test. There are few plausible factors that can be related to the experiment such as
hunger. Hungers can be the factor on how food tastes by making hungry person more
sensitive to the receptor (sweetness and saltiness).

Next, the senses of smell and taste are directly related because both used the
same type of receptors. For the second experiment, 3 out of 9 sample was wrong. Many
factors including diseases will influence the normal ability to smell. Nearly two third of
people in the world had chronic anosmia due to dysfunction of this olfactory system
(Richard L. Doty, 2009). Additional factors that contributed during this experiment are
colds and sex. Generally, women are more sensitive than men so it can be the failure of
the experiment. Colds can be the factors as well. When someone caught a cold, they tend
to lost the ability sense of smell because of the obstruction of air passages reduce the
olfactory perception.

There are many possibilities that had happened during the experiment, for
example hunger and diseases. Because of this reason, we did not get the accurate result
for the second experiment. So, we need to prevent as well as possible to get the accurate
result in future.

CONCLUSION

In conclusion, this experiment taught about how to differentiate the type of flavors
(sweet, sour, bitter and salty) and the smell or aroma of food. The error in this experiment
can be reduce by steer clear of substances that can impair your sense of smell for example
smoking and and get plenty of exercise as lower risk of the sense of smell diminishing as
you get older. This experiment must be conducted properly to minimize possible bias or
else risk inaccurate data which would lead to inaccurate data analysis. The objective of
the experiment is achieve.

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