CANADIAN AND PERUVIAN GUSTATORY RESPONSE TO BITTERNESS AND SALT IN INSTANT POTATO PUREE

Canadian and Peruvian taste detection thresholds for quinine sulphate and sodium chloride were determined in an instant potato puree. These data were compared with thresholds in aqueous solution to determine th e extent of threshold modification. Both Peruvians and Canadians had v ery low thresholds for quinine sulphate in the puree (5 to 9 ppm), but higher thresholds for sodium chloride in the potato mixture (217 to 2 23 ppm). With the puree, quinine sulphate thresholds were six to eleve n times higher, and sodium chloride thresholds two to three times high er, for Peruvians and Canadians respectively, than with aqueous soluti ons. Women were more sensitive to saltiness than men, but bitterness t hresholds did not differ significantly by sex. Hedonic scores were not correlated to panelists' thresholds for either tastant. Factors affec ting threshold determinations and implications for cross-cultural rese arch are discussed.