title: Genetic contribution to sour taste preference.
abstract: Genetic contribution to individual differences in sour taste perception and preference was investigated in a cohort of young adult Finnish twins (n=328, 21-25 years) including 46 complete monozygotic and 92 dizygotic twin pairs and 52 twin individuals without their co-twin. Responses to sour taste were recorded as pleasantness and intensity ratings of orange juice with added citric acid (4.2g/L) relative to untainted orange juice (sensory traits). Pleasantness and use-frequency of 21 food items varying in sourness were rated in a questionnaire. Three food categories emerged in factor analysis: sour berries and fruits, less-sour berries and fruits, and sour dairy products (questionnaire traits). The contribution of genetic and environmental factors to variation and co-variation of the traits were analyzed using quantitative genetic modeling. Genetic factors played a larger role than shared environment, explaining 14% and 31% of the variation in pleasantness and intensity of sour taste, respectively, and 34-50% of the variation in pleasantness and use-frequency of sour foods. Relatively large genetic correlations existed between sensory traits and between questionnaire traits. These results demonstrate a genetic contribution to preference for sour foods.
authors.affiliation: Department of Food and Environmental Sciences, Agnes Sjöbergin katu 2, 00014, University of Helsinki, Finland. outi.tornwall@helsinki.fi
authors.forename: Outi
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Törnwall
authors.forename: Karri
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Silventoinen
authors.forename: Kaisu
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Keskitalo-Vuokko
authors.forename: Markus
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Perola
authors.forename: Jaakko
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kaprio
authors.forename: Hely
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Tuorila
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D019343:Citric Acid; D003611:Dairy Products; D004777:Environment; D005518:Food Preferences; D005638:Fruit; D014644:Genetic Variation; D006801:Humans; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055697:Taste Perception / Q000235:genetics*; D014427:Twins / Q000235:genetics*; D014429:Twins, Dizygotic; D014430:Twins, Monozygotic
chemical_list: D019343:Citric Acid