The threshold of sweet taste recognition among a sample of Moroccan population
ISSN: 0034-6659
Article publication date: 17 December 2021
Issue publication date: 3 January 2022
Abstract
Purpose
Sugar consumption in Morocco is high, which is involved in triggering serious health conditions. Hence, assessing the recognition threshold of sweet taste among Moroccans is strongly needed. This study aims to determine the threshold of sweet taste recognition and to evaluate differences by sex, age and body mass index among a sample of Moroccan population.
Design/methodology/approach
This single-blind trial was conducted among 199 healthy participants to determine the sweet taste. Age and anthropometric characteristics were registered. Nine sucrose solutions of the following concentrations (0; 0.111; 0.333; 1; 3; 9; 27; 81; 243 mmol/L) were prepared. Sweet taste perception thresholds were determined based on the validated 3-alternative forced choice test method.
Findings
The average age of the sample population was 21.5 ± 26.1. And more than half (51.7%) detected the taste at the concentration of 9 mmol/L, while 91.9% recognized it at a concentration of 27 mmol/L. In terms of sex, the recognition of taste was not different between females and males (p > 0.05). The mean values of the threshold among women were significantly lower (20 ± 20.8 mmol/L) compared to men (23.9 ± 33.2 mmol/L). The age group 49–59 years old had the lowest threshold with a mean of 13.4 ± 10.2 mmol/L, and the groups with BMI in the overweight category had mean of 16.9 ± 18.2 mmol/L. However, no statistical difference was observed among either age groups or BMI categories.
Originality/value
The sweet recognition threshold among the studied population is high. Therefore, it is strongly recommended to educate the population about the necessity of a progressive reduction of sugar in food items to combat non-communicable disorders.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
The authors would like to acknowledge the participants in this study for their time and effort, to all persons who contributed to the success of this work and to different health workers and local authorities participating to complete all study steps.
Funding: This research did not receive any specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial or not-for-profit sectors.
Citation
Guennoun, Y., Benajiba, N., Elkari, K., Bouziani, A., Elammari, L., Al-Jawaldeh, A., Elhaloui, N., Barkat, A., Benkirane, H. and Aguenaou, H. (2022), "The threshold of sweet taste recognition among a sample of Moroccan population", Nutrition & Food Science, Vol. 52 No. 1, pp. 45-60. https://doi.org/10.1108/NFS-01-2021-0023
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2021, Emerald Publishing Limited