1. Adapted from Shirley Wilborne 2002
Flavor Detective
What Happened?
Adapted from Shirley Wilborne 2002

2. Smell & Taste Tongue – only sense 5 tastes – Saltiness Sweetness
Sourness
Bitterness
Meatiness (umami)

3. Nasal Passages
Can respond to 1000s of different molecules

4. How we sense taste…
Tongue tastes
Nose smells
Texture
Temperature

5. Taste is Mostly Smell
Tongue can’t tell the difference between orange and lime.
Nose detects difference
With a cold – onions and apples taste the same

6. So… why were you able to taste the difference between flavors
May inhale as we swallow, allowing the nose to smell the flavor.

7. Great Activity for learning how to design experiments..
Selected jelly beans from the cup without the subject knowing which ones
No feedback increases success of experiment – “blind test”
In drug testing – double blind – the person giving the meds doesn’t know what they’re giving

8. Control Group The group of trials need for comparison
No eyes, using nose before the study to compare results with the experimental group. Scientists don’t assume to know what “normal” is. They collect data to be sure.