Tannins in Food Insights into the Molecular Perception of Astringency and Bitter Taste
Proposed mechanisms for astringency onset.
News release, Polyphenols Applications - 5 September 2022, Valencia - Spain
Astringency and bitterness are organoleptic properties widely linked to tannin compounds. Due to their significance to food chemistry, the food industry, and to human nutrition and health, these tannins’ taste properties have been a line of worldwide research.
In recent years, significant advances have been made in understanding the molecular perception of astringency pointing to the contribution of different oral key players. Regarding bitterness, several polyphenols have been identified has new agonists of these receptors. Soares et al. summarize the last data about the knowledge of these taste properties perceived by tannins.
Tannins and their interaction with different food macromolecules, namely proteins and polysaccharides, and with salivary proteins are linked to astringency and bitterness.Studying the interaction of tannins with (food or biological) proteins at a molecular level provides extensive knowledge on the critical structural features of both tannins and proteins, the mechanisms underlying the interactions, as well as the effect of other physicochemical parameters such as the pH, temperature, and other solvents, such as ethanol. Regarding astringency perception, the current point of view is a simultaneous and dynamic contribution of the referred proposed mechanisms.
Ultimately, tannins’ astringency and bitterness are hand-in-hand taste properties, and future studies should be adapted to understand how the proper perception of one taste could affect the perception of the other one.
© Image - Soares et al. 2020
Dr. Susana Soares will be joining Polyphenols Applications 2022 to present a detailed talk about her work in a session dedicated to the "Sensory Aspects of Polyphenols".
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Polyphenols Applications 2022 Congress
September 28-30, 2022 - Valencia, Spain
www.polyphenols-site.com
