Umami Taste Intensity and Meal Intake

NCT07421466 | Completed

• 1 other identifier: NL51747.081.14 OptUmami Study
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 47
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

Sweet and salty tastes can influence food intake. Increased intensity of these tastes has been shown to decrease food intake and increase satiation compared to the less intense taste, independent of palatability. Umami taste intensity has been shown to reduce subsequent food intake, especially when paired with protein content in foods. Taste can be related with nutrient content of the diet, with sweet foods having carbohydrates, salty foods containing sodium, and umami foods containing protein. However, no study has yet investigated the impact of umami and food intake, using the approach of similar palatability and differing taste intensity levels. Given its relationship with nutrient signaling, it is important to explore the relationship between umami intensity and satiation. Therefore, this study aims to compare ad libitum food intake of two levels with similar palatability and differing umami taste intensities (high and low) to food intake from a meal with optimum taste intensity. Study population 40-50 healthy, normal weight participants from Wageningen and surroundings will be included. Previous studies have applied this method in sweet and salty tastes with 15-59 participants. Test session 1: Hedonic mapping Determine individual's most preferred level of umami taste in 6 risotto samples, using pairwise staircase comparison. Samples will contain a fixed level of salt (0.2 w/w%), and MSG concentrations ranging from 0.2-2.1 w/w%. Per individual, The optimal tasting MSG intensity will be selected based on forced choice. Test session 2, 3 and 4: ad libitum risotto lunch meals In a randomized cross-over design, participants will receive the optimum, high and low MSG risotto. The following will be measured:

• Test meal consumption (primary outcome);
• Meal liking after one bite;
• Water consumption;
• Absolute taste intensity ratings of the meal;
• Relative taste intensity ratings of the meal;
• Habitual dietary taste exposure (tasteFFQ). Study procedures Subjects will be provided with a standardized breakfast and to not consume anything between breakfast and lunch session. This will be validated upon arrival to the lunch meal. They will also be asked to refrain from eating for one hour after the test session. Participants will be asked to fill in the tasteFFQ, to investigate the link between dietary taste patterns and hedonic umami taste ratings. Data analysis Data will be analyzed using Rstudio. First, normality will be assessed, and data will be normalized if needed. Difference in food intake in grams between the three intensities will be compared using ANOVA. A post-hoc test will be applied if statistical outcomes are significant. Categorical variables will be compared using Chi-square test.

Conditions

Taste Sensitivity; Umami Taste Perception; Food Intake Regulation; Hedonic Function; Palatability

Keywords

umami; savoury; ad libitum; taste intensity; palatability; food intake; hedonic mapping; PCA; MSG

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Difference in food intake from ad libitum test meal between taste intensity conditions

  Difference in food intake in volume (grams) from the ad libitum test meal between the three (high-, low- and ideal) umami taste intensities.

  Test session 2, 3 and 4 (week 2, 3 and 4)

Secondary Outcomes (7)

• Difference in test meal liking between taste intensity conditions

  Test session 2, 3 and 4 (week 2, 3 and 4)

• Absolute difference in umami taste intensity ratings of the ad libitum test meal between taste intensity conditions

  Test session 2, 3 and 4 (week 2, 3 and 4)

• Relative difference in umami taste intensity ratings of the ad libitum test meal between taste intensity conditions

  Test session 4 (week 4)

• Difference in water consumption during the ad libitum test meal between taste intensity conditions

  Test session 2, 3 and 4 (week 2, 3 and 4)

• Difference in reported appetite and fullness ratings between the three conditions

  Test session 2, 3 and 4 (week 2, 3 and 4)

Study Arms (3)

Low umami taste intensity

EXPERIMENTAL

The low umami intensity meal will have a taste intensity corresponding with a lower than ideal than the MSG concentration in the sample that came out as 'winner' by forced choice during the first test session in which umami taste preferences per individual will be assessed by hedonic mapping (PCA). The palatability ratings of the lower than ideal will correspond to the palatability ratings of the higher than ideal condition.

Other: Hedonic mapping; Other: Ad libitum risotto test meal

Ideal umami taste intensity

EXPERIMENTAL

The ideal umami intensity meal will have a taste intensity corresponding with the MSG concentration in the sample that came out as 'winner' by forced choice during the first test session in which umami taste preferences per individual will be assessed by hedonic mapping (PCA).

Other: Hedonic mapping; Other: Ad libitum risotto test meal

high umami taste intensity

EXPERIMENTAL

The high umami intensity meal will have a taste intensity corresponding with a higher than ideal than the MSG concentration in the sample that came out as 'winner' by forced choice during the first test session in which umami taste preferences per individual will be assessed by hedonic mapping (PCA). The palatability ratings of the higher than ideal will correspond to the palatability ratings of the lower than ideal condition.

Other: Hedonic mapping; Other: Ad libitum risotto test meal

Interventions

Ad libitum risotto test meal OTHER

During the ad libitum test meal, participants will be presented with 1200 grams of risotto with either high-, low-, or optimum umami taste intensity.

Ideal umami taste intensity; Low umami taste intensity; high umami taste intensity

Hedonic mapping OTHER

During the first session, participants will be presented with 2 risotto samples simultaneously, differing in MSG content and thus umami taste intensity, by PCA. First, samples will be presented in ascending concentration, with the best rated sample (forced choice) from the previous round, and the next concentration. This will be replicated in descending order. Based on these individual outcomes, umami taste intensities of the ad libitum test meals will be calculated per participant.

Ideal umami taste intensity; Low umami taste intensity; high umami taste intensity

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years - 55 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64)

You may qualify if:

• Self-reported healthy;
• BMI between 18.5 and 25 kg/m2;
• Age between 18 and 55 years old;
• Able to visit the research facilities on the Wageningen campus for hedonic mapping (once) and for the risotto lunch meal (three times);
• Able to provide informed consent.

You may not qualify if:

• Diagnosed with smell- or taste disorder(s);
• Use of medication that could influence taste ability and/or food intake behaviour;
• Food allergy or intolerance to any of the ingredients used in the ad libitum test meal;
• Consumption of more than 14 (women) or 21 (men) glasses of alcohol per week;
• Student or personnel of the Health Research Unit at Wageningen University

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Wageningen University: lead

Study Sites (1)

Department of Human Nutrition, Wageningen University

Wageningen, Gelderland, Netherlands

Location

Related Publications (8)

• Masic U, Yeomans MR. Umami flavor enhances appetite but also increases satiety. Am J Clin Nutr. 2014 Aug;100(2):532-8. doi: 10.3945/ajcn.113.080929. Epub 2014 Jun 18.

  PMID: 24944058 BACKGROUND

• Sorensen LB, Moller P, Flint A, Martens M, Raben A. Effect of sensory perception of foods on appetite and food intake: a review of studies on humans. Int J Obes Relat Metab Disord. 2003 Oct;27(10):1152-66. doi: 10.1038/sj.ijo.0802391.

  PMID: 14513063 BACKGROUND

• Bolhuis DP, Lakemond CM, de Wijk RA, Luning PA, de Graaf C. Effect of salt intensity on ad libitum intake of tomato soup similar in palatability and on salt preference after consumption. Chem Senses. 2010 Nov;35(9):789-99. doi: 10.1093/chemse/bjq077. Epub 2010 Aug 12.

  PMID: 20705808 BACKGROUND

• Bolhuis DP, Lakemond CM, de Wijk RA, Luning PA, Graaf Cd. Both longer oral sensory exposure to and higher intensity of saltiness decrease ad libitum food intake in healthy normal-weight men. J Nutr. 2011 Dec;141(12):2242-8. doi: 10.3945/jn.111.143867. Epub 2011 Nov 2.

  PMID: 22049294 BACKGROUND

• Bolhuis DP, Lakemond CM, de Wijk RA, Luning PA, de Graaf C. Effect of salt intensity in soup on ad libitum intake and on subsequent food choice. Appetite. 2012 Feb;58(1):48-55. doi: 10.1016/j.appet.2011.09.001. Epub 2011 Sep 29.

  PMID: 21986190 BACKGROUND

• Masic U, Yeomans MR. Monosodium glutamate delivered in a protein-rich soup improves subsequent energy compensation. J Nutr Sci. 2014 Aug 13;3:e15. doi: 10.1017/jns.2014.15. eCollection 2014.

  PMID: 25191607 BACKGROUND

• Forde, C. G. (2016). Flavor perception and satiation. In Flavor (pp. 251-276). Woodhead Publishing

  BACKGROUND

• Jayasena DD, Kang T, Wijayasekara KN, Jo C. Innovative Application of Cold Plasma Technology in Meat and Its Products. Food Sci Anim Resour. 2023 Nov;43(6):1087-1110. doi: 10.5851/kosfa.2023.e31. Epub 2023 Nov 1.

  PMID: 37969327 BACKGROUND

Study Officials

• Monica Mars, PhD

  WUR

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

• Ciaran Forde, PhD

  Wageningen University

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: SINGLE
• Who Masked: PARTICIPANT
• Purpose: BASIC SCIENCE
• Intervention Model: CROSSOVER
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Prof. Dr.

Model Details: Complete block randomized cross-over design

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: December 3, 2025
• First Posted: February 19, 2026
• Study Start: September 15, 2025
• Primary Completion: October 21, 2025
• Study Completion: October 21, 2025
• Last Updated: February 19, 2026

Record last verified: 2025-12

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will share

Locations

NL (1)