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Related Concept Videos

Structure of Lipids03:38

Structure of Lipids

Lipids include a diverse group of compounds that are largely nonpolar in nature. This is because they are hydrocarbons that include mostly nonpolar carbon-carbon or carbon-hydrogen bonds. Non-polar molecules are hydrophobic (“water fearing”), or insoluble in water. Lipids perform many different functions in a cell. Cells store energy for long-term use in the form of fats. Lipids also provide insulation from the environment for plants and animals. For example, they help keep aquatic birds and...
Structure of Lipids03:38

Structure of Lipids

Lipids include a diverse group of compounds that are largely nonpolar in nature. This is because they are hydrocarbons that include mostly nonpolar carbon-carbon or carbon-hydrogen bonds. Non-polar molecules are hydrophobic (“water fearing”), or insoluble in water. Lipids perform many different functions in a cell. Cells store energy for long-term use in the form of fats. Lipids also provide insulation from the environment for plants and animals. For example, they help keep aquatic birds and...
Structure of Lipids03:38

Structure of Lipids

Lipids include a diverse group of compounds that are largely nonpolar in nature. This is because they are hydrocarbons that include mostly nonpolar carbon-carbon or carbon-hydrogen bonds. Non-polar molecules are hydrophobic (“water fearing”), or insoluble in water. Lipids perform many different functions in a cell. Cells store energy for long-term use in the form of fats. Lipids also provide insulation from the environment for plants and animals. For example, they help keep aquatic birds and...
The Physiology of Taste01:24

The Physiology of Taste

The perception of a salty flavor is facilitated by sodium ions within the oral salivary fluid. Upon consumption of a salty substance, salt crystals disassemble, leading to the liberation of its constituents—Na+ and Cl- ions. These ions subsequently dissolve into the salivary fluid present in the oral cavity. The external environment of the gustatory cells experiences an elevation in Na+ concentration, thereby establishing a potent concentration gradient. This gradient propels the diffusion of...
Gustation01:43

Gustation

Gustation is a chemical sense that, along with olfaction (smell), contributes to our perception of taste. It starts with the activation of receptors by chemical compounds (tastants) dissolved in the saliva. The saliva and filiform papillae on the tongue distribute the tastants and increase their exposure to the taste receptors.
Overview of Fatty Acid Metabolism01:28

Overview of Fatty Acid Metabolism

Lipids also are sources of energy that power cellular processes. Like carbohydrates, lipids are composed of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen, but these atoms are arranged differently. Most lipids are nonpolar and hydrophobic. Major types include fats and oils, waxes, phospholipids, and steroids.
Fatty acids are catabolized in a process called beta-oxidation, which takes place in the matrix of the mitochondria and converts their fatty acid chains into two-carbon units of acetyl groups. The acetyl...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 23, 2026

Measuring Oral Fatty Acid Thresholds, Fat Perception, Fatty Food Liking, and Papillae Density in Humans
10:29

Measuring Oral Fatty Acid Thresholds, Fat Perception, Fatty Food Liking, and Papillae Density in Humans

Published on: June 4, 2014

Is there a fatty acid taste?

Richard D Mattes1

  • 1Purdue University, W. Lafayette, Indiana, USA. mattes@purdue.edu

Annual Review of Nutrition
|April 30, 2009
PubMed
Summary

Free fatty acids, not fats, may be detected by taste receptors in the mouth. Further research is needed to confirm if "fatty" is a primary taste sensation.

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Sensory Science
  • Nutritional Science

Background:

  • Taste perception guides nutrient detection and food choices.
  • The five primary tastes are sweet, sour, salty, bitter, and umami.
  • The role of fat in taste perception is debated, with traditional views excluding it.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the potential of free fatty acids as a primary taste stimulus.
  • To explore the mechanisms and characteristics of oral fat detection.

Main Methods:

  • Review of anatomical, electrophysiological, behavioral, imaging, metabolic, and psychophysical evidence.
  • Analysis of free fatty acid detectability considering variations in saturation and chain length.
  • Assessment of the need for taste-specific verification.

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Identification of Fatty Acids in Bacillus cereus
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Identification of Fatty Acids in Bacillus cereus

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Fatty Acid 13C Isotopologue Profiling Provides Insight into Trophic Carbon Transfer and Lipid Metabolism of Invertebrate Consumers
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Fatty Acid 13C Isotopologue Profiling Provides Insight into Trophic Carbon Transfer and Lipid Metabolism of Invertebrate Consumers

Published on: April 17, 2018

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Last Updated: Jun 23, 2026

Measuring Oral Fatty Acid Thresholds, Fat Perception, Fatty Food Liking, and Papillae Density in Humans
10:29

Measuring Oral Fatty Acid Thresholds, Fat Perception, Fatty Food Liking, and Papillae Density in Humans

Published on: June 4, 2014

Identification of Fatty Acids in Bacillus cereus
08:41

Identification of Fatty Acids in Bacillus cereus

Published on: December 5, 2016

Fatty Acid 13C Isotopologue Profiling Provides Insight into Trophic Carbon Transfer and Lipid Metabolism of Invertebrate Consumers
11:14

Fatty Acid 13C Isotopologue Profiling Provides Insight into Trophic Carbon Transfer and Lipid Metabolism of Invertebrate Consumers

Published on: April 17, 2018

Main Results:

  • Triacylglycerols (dietary fats) are not effective taste stimuli but influence food texture and flavor.
  • Growing evidence suggests free fatty acids are detectable in the oral cavity when non-taste cues are minimized.
  • Detectability varies with fatty acid saturation and chain length, implying multiple or nonspecific oral mechanisms.

Conclusions:

  • Free fatty acids, rather than fats, show potential as a taste primary.
  • Further studies are required to confirm the taste specificity of free fatty acid detection.
  • Oral exposure to free fatty acids may act as a warning signal and influence lipid metabolism.