New food culture with digitized taste

K. Toko

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contribution

Abstract

A taste sensor, i.e., electronic tongue, is composed of several kinds of lipid/polymer membranes for transforming information of chemical substances producing taste into electric signals, which are input to a computer. The sensor output shows different patterns for chemical substances which have different taste qualities such as saltiness, sourness and bitterness, while it shows similar patterns for chemical substances with similar tastes. The sensor responds to the taste itself, because taste interactions such as the suppression effect, which appears between sweet and bitter substances, can be reproduced as well. Suppression of the bitterness of quinine and a drug substance by sucrose or bitter-masking chemicals can be quantified. Amino acids and peptides are classified into several groups according to their own tastes based on sensor outputs. The taste of foodstuffs such as beer, coffee, mineral water, milk, soup, sake and rice can be discussed quantitatively using the taste sensor, which provides the objective, digitized scale for the human sensory expression. Desired taste can be reproduced anywhere and anytime. The taste sensor can create a new food culture all over the world.

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationMHS 2002 - Proceedings of 2002 International Symposium on Micromechatronics and Human Science
PublisherInstitute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc.
Pages17-24
Number of pages8
ISBN (Electronic)0780376110, 9780780376113
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Jan 1 2002
Event13th Annual International Symposium on Micromechatronics and Human Science, MHS 2002 - Nagoya, Japan
Duration: Oct 20 2002Oct 23 2002

Publication series

NameMHS 2002 - Proceedings of 2002 International Symposium on Micromechatronics and Human Science

Other

Other13th Annual International Symposium on Micromechatronics and Human Science, MHS 2002
Country/TerritoryJapan
CityNagoya
Period10/20/0210/23/02

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • Artificial Intelligence
  • Biomedical Engineering
  • Mechanical Engineering
  • Electrical and Electronic Engineering

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