Those molecules that awaken our taste buds; [Ces molécules qui éveillent nos papilles]

Abstract

The sense of taste is a chemical sense and one of the most ancestral sensory modalities. It allows detecting and appreciating taste molecules present in our food. Beyond our vital needs, the pleasure elicited from what we eat can drive our feeding behaviors sometimes up to excess. Food intake involves several sensory systems, mainly smell and taste. The underlying molecular mechanisms are relatively complex. This article focuses on the extent of the chemical space associated with the five primary tastes (sour, salty, sweet, bitter and umami), and details the fundamental role of gustatory receptors in the perception of taste as well as within interindividual variabilities.