RELATION BETWEEN PAROTID-SALIVA FLOW AND COMPOSITION AND THE PERCEPTION OF GUSTATORY AND TRIGEMINAL STIMULI IN FOODS

The objective of this study was to investigate whether and how parotid saliva flow and composition correlated with the perception of gustato ry and/or trigeminal stimuli in foods. Thirty (15 male and 15 female) subjects tasted seven foods or beverages (lemonade, beer, wine, soup, methyl cellulose, peanut butter, and crackers) with three levels each of a gustatory or trigeminal stimulus and rated the perceived intensit y of the corresponding sensation over rime using the time-intensity (T I) method while their parotid saliva was being collected. Salivary flo w rates of males were significantly higher than those of females for a ll stimuli (p < 0.001). That did not translate, however, into consiste nt differences in perception of sensory attributes between males and f emales. Significant positive correlations were found between saliva fl ow and (1) TI parameters for adhesiveness of peanut butter and cohesiv eness of mass of crackers (p < 0.05 or lower) and (2) time from intake to swallowing of crackers and peanut butter (p < 0.05). No correlatio ns were found between saliva composition (e.g., sodium and total prote in) and TI parameters. These results indicate that parotid saliva flow may correlate with the perception of some texture and mouthfeel attri butes (presumably through oral work and bolus formation) but not with that of the taste attributes examined in this study (at the concentrat ions studied). (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Inc.