Taste, Fat Sensation and Texture Study

NCT03233503 | Completed

• 1 other identifier: NL47315.081.13
• Study Type: observational
• Target: 35
• Locations: 0 countries
• Sites: N/A

Brief Summary

Food is selected primarily on their taste and texture properties. It is essential to get more insight in taste and texture characteristics of the foods in the Dutch and Malaysian diets for a better understanding of food choices. Currently, there is insufficient information on taste and texture properties of foods to relate these properties to the composition of diets and individual food choice in larger (observational) studies. In the current study, the investigators want to assess the perceived intensities of the 5 basic tastes, i.e. sweet, salt, sour, bitter and umami, as well as fat sensation and texture, in an array of about 1,000 often consumed Dutch and Malaysian foods. The investigators aim to do this with a trained sensory panel, which is a well-accepted way of assessing perception of sensory attributes. With the current study, the investigators aim to build a table, which is comparable to the food composition table, but contains data that describes foods and meals in terms of sensory properties. That is, investigators want to quantify sensory characteristics of about 1,000 commonly eaten Dutch and Malaysian foods. This enables investigators to add sensory information to the food intake data that is already being collected in observational studies, and to further understand food choices in specific populations, such as elderly and patient groups. In current project, the investigators also aim to compare the Dutch diet to the Malaysian diet in term of sensory properties.

Conditions

Taste Perception; Fat Sensation; Eating Rate; Bite Size

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (3)

• Comparison of panel performance results of two trained Dutch and Malaysian panelist

  For individual taste attributes of the reference solutions and reference foods, analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to evaluate the performance of each panel on discrimination, repeatability and agreement according to the following model: Attribute= µ + product (P) + assessor (A) + replicate (r) + product\*assessor (P\*A) + product\*replicate (P\*r) + assessor\*replicate (A\*r) + E, where product= discrimination, assessor= consistency of ratings between assessors, replicate= consistency of ratings from one session to another, product\*replicate= panel repeatability, product\*assessor = agreement between assessors, assessor\*replicate= assessor repeatability. The replicate scores deviated from the product mean for all taste attributes from the total scale were also reported as root mean squared error (RMSE) of the ANOVA model without replicate effect

  Phase II training , an average of 3 hours visit per week

• Dutch trained panelist-generated taste intensity ratings of commonly consumed Dutch foods

  The intensity rating of taste: sweet, salt, sour, bitter, umami and fat sensation on the 100-point quantitative Spectrum scales

  Through study completion, an average of 3hours visit per week

• Malaysian trained panelist-generated taste intensity ratings of commonly consumed Malaysian foods

  The intensity rating of taste: sweet, salt, sour, bitter, umami and fat sensation on the 100-point quantitative Spectrum scales

  Through study completion, an average of 3hours visit per week

Secondary Outcomes (1)

• The behavior measures of food texture related properties of commonly consumed foods

  Through study completion, an average of 3hours visit per week

Study Arms (2)

Dutch trained taste panel

The study population consists of a sample of 15 healthy Dutch males and females, recruited in the Wageningen area.

Diagnostic Test: Basic taste, fat sensation and texture perception

Malaysian trained taste panel

The study population consists of a sample of 20 healthy Malaysian males and females, recruited in the Subang Jaya, Selangor area.

Diagnostic Test: Basic taste, fat sensation and texture perception

Interventions

Basic taste, fat sensation and texture perception DIAGNOSTIC_TEST

This is an observational Sensory study methodologically similar to "Astringency and bitterness perception clinicalTrials.gov identifier NCT03171402 "Participants are first involved in sensory training sessions that train how they recognise between different basic tastes and differentiate perceived intensity in solutions and foods. After 6 months of training, the trained participants are involved in tasting a wide array of commonly consumed foods. At this study phase, participants will rate for the foods' taste, fat sensation perception and texture

Dutch trained taste panel; Malaysian trained taste panel

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years - 55 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64)
• Sampling Method: Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

Only Dutchs are allowed to participate as Dutch taste panel; and only Malaysians are allowed to participate as Malaysian taste panel

You may qualify if:

• Age: 18-55 years
• BMI: 18.5-25kg/m2 (self-reported)
• Physically and mentally healthy as not suffering or under control by any medications
• Available during the whole period and shown to be committed to participate 3 times/wk
• Good performance on the sensory tests during the screening

You may not qualify if:

• Smoking (equal or more than 1 unit per day and those stopped smoking less than3 months)
• Excessive alcoholic consumer (more than 21 units per week)
• Being vegetarian or having religious dietary restrictions
• Reported to have certain dental limitations (denture, tongue piercing or difficulties in chewing and swallowing)
• Reported intolerance or allergies to foods
• Using medications that are known to affect taste and smell identification
• Being pregnant or lactating
• Participating and/or planning to participate in other studies for the coming three years

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Wageningen University: lead
• Taylor's University: collaborator

Related Publications (1)

• van Langeveld AWB, Teo PS, Mars M, Feskens EJM, de Graaf C, de Vries JHM. Evaluation of dietary taste patterns as assessed by FFQ against 24-h recalls and biomarkers of exposure. Eur J Clin Nutr. 2019 Jan;73(1):132-140. doi: 10.1038/s41430-018-0300-1. Epub 2018 Sep 25.

  PMID: 30254242 DERIVED

Study Officials

• Monica Mars, PhD

  Wageningen University

  STUDY CHAIR

Study Design

• Study Type: observational
• Observational Model: OTHER
• Time Perspective: CROSS SECTIONAL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Dr.

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: July 20, 2017
• First Posted: July 28, 2017
• Study Start: March 13, 2014
• Primary Completion: December 22, 2016
• Study Completion: December 22, 2016
• Last Updated: August 20, 2025

Record last verified: 2025-08