The study of tasters and non-tasters of phenyl-thio-carbamide (PTC) and its relation to blood groups

The ability to taste phenyl-thio-Carbamide (PTC) is one of the gene marker systems which provides one of the means to reconstruct relationships of ethnic groups of man. In 433 Maharashtrian subjects the ability to taste PTC was studied by Harris and Kalmus method. At the same time, blood groups of these subjects were determined by slide agglutination method. It was found that 63.74% of local population was taster and 36.26% non-taster. The percentage of non-tasters was higher in males, than in females. No significant relation was found between the ability to taste PTC and the blood groups. The results were compared with those observed by other workers and it was found that the percentage of non-tasters in local population in the present study was similar to that found in Indian elsewhere.