Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 1, 2026

Measuring Oral Fatty Acid Thresholds, Fat Perception, Fatty Food Liking, and Papillae Density in Humans
Published on: June 4, 2014
CD36 may determine our desire for dietary fats
1Department of Medicine, Division of Nutritional Science, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri 63110, USA. nabumrad@wustl.edu
Abstract:
There is a strong link between high fat intake and obesity. In addition to its high caloric density, dietary fat has a hyperphagic effect, in part as a result of its high palatability. The recent identification by Laugerette et al. of CD36 as a taste receptor for fatty acids provides insight into the molecular basis of our preference for fat (see the related article beginning on page 3177). As we gain more information regarding the function of this receptor, we may be able to devise better strategies to address the addictive potential of dietary fat.
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