Selectivity control in a sweetness sensor using lipid/polymer membranes

We studied the selectivity control in a sweetness sensor with lipid/polymer membranes. Sweet tasting substances such as sucrose, fructose and glucose are nonelectrolytes and therefore are susceptible to interference from electrolytes and/or adsorptive substances, In this study, we focused on suppressing the adsorption of bitter and astringent substances on a membrane surface. The membrane was designed to be electrically neutral to avoid interference from electrolytes. Additives used in this experiment have a hydroxyl group and are not protonated compounds, which change the hydrophobicity character of a membrane. The results show that n-tetradecyl alcohol reduced the responses to bitter and astringent substances.