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Psychophysical Tracking Method to Measure Taste Preferences in Children and Adults
09:17

Psychophysical Tracking Method to Measure Taste Preferences in Children and Adults

Published on: July 16, 2016

The timing and duration of a sensitive period in human flavor learning: a randomized trial

Julie A Mennella1, Laura D Lukasewycz, Sara M Castor

  • 1Monell Chemical Senses Center, Philadelphia, PA 19104-3308, USA. mennella@monell.org

The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition
|February 12, 2011
PubMed

Insights

Infant flavor preference develops before 4 months, with early and consistent exposure to protein hydrolysate formula (PHF) leading to greater acceptance. Later or shorter exposure resulted in less acceptance, highlighting a sensitive period for taste development.

Area of Science:

  • Human development
  • Nutritional science
  • Sensory perception

Background:

  • Infant feeding practices significantly shape flavor preferences.
  • A sensitive period for flavor learning exists in early infancy, before 4 months of age.
  • Protein hydrolysate formula (PHF) serves as a model to study flavor exposure effects.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To precisely define the timing and duration of the sensitive period for flavor learning in infants.
  • To investigate how different durations and timings of formula exposure influence infant acceptance.
  • To understand the dose-response relationship in early flavor exposure.

Main Methods:

  • Healthy infants were assigned to groups receiving either cow milk-based formula (CMF) or PHF for varying durations and starting ages (0.5 to 3.5 months).
  • Monthly brief access taste tests and end-of-study "meal" tests assessed infant acceptance of different formulas.
  • A controlled study design compared exposure to PHF versus CMF across six infant groups.

Main Results:

  • Three months of PHF exposure showed acceptance similar to one month, suggesting a potential plateau effect.
  • Infants exposed to PHF demonstrated greater acceptance than unexposed infants, but less than those with prolonged exposure, indicating a dose-dependent effect.
  • Starting PHF exposure later (3.5 months) led to greater rejection compared to earlier exposure, emphasizing the critical timing of initial flavor experiences.

Conclusions:

  • Early and consistent flavor exposure is crucial for developing positive food preferences in infants.
  • The findings suggest a fundamental mechanism in mammalian development related to flavor familiarization.
  • Encouraging exposure to diverse flavors, including those consumed by mothers, is important for infant development and acceptance.
Abstract

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