[Relationship between the anionic structure of organic acids and the response of cat taste receptors]

With the aid of analysis of afferent impulse activity in the cat chorda tympani, it was shown that the effect of application of organic acids solutions of the same pH to the tongue could be represented as follows: propionic acid greater than lactic acid greater than pyruvic acid. These data confirm the suggestion that carboxylic acids without polar groups are the most effective, and an anion which has OH-group in alpha-position is more effective than an anion with keto-group.