Efficacy of Bitter Blockers on Taste Perception in Children and Adults

Efficacy of Bitter Taste Blockers on Flavor Acceptance in Pediatric Populations

This proposal describes 2 basic research studies that will be conducted sequentially. Study 1 will test the efficacy of both classic and newly developed "generally recognized as a safe" (GRAS) bitter blockers on the perceived bitterness and acceptance of different classes of bitter-tasting compounds by children and compare their responses to adults. Because variations among and between children and adults in terms of sensitivity to different bitter compounds are due in part to genetically determined receptor variation, the investigators will consider genotype when assessing how well bitter blockers perform. In Study 2, the investigators aim to evaluate different methods (forced-choice procedures, hedonic face scales) used for testing children to determine their reliability and reproducibility.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Healthy, term children of either sex and all races/ethnicities will be eligible for this study.
• Children must be between 3 and 10 years of age.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Children who are on any medications that may alter taste sensitivity
• Mothers who are pregnant