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Updated: Feb 21, 2026
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Measuring Oral Fatty Acid Thresholds, Fat Perception, Fatty Food Liking, and Papillae Density in Humans
Published on: June 4, 2014
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Taste Responses to Linoleic Acid: A Crowdsourced Population Study
Nicole L Garneau1, Tiffany M Nuessle1, Robin M Tucker2
1Genetics of Taste Lab, Health Sciences Department, Denver Museum of Nature & Science, 2001 Colorado Blvd, Denver, CO 80205, USA.
Chemical Senses
|October 3, 2017
Summary
Genetic factors influence how individuals perceive the taste of dietary fats. This study found that 19% of the variation in fat taste perception is heritable, suggesting a genetic component to oleogustus.
Area of Science:
- Nutritional Neuroscience
- Sensory Science
- Human Genetics
Background:
- Dietary fats are essential but can cause health issues, making fat ingestion mechanisms crucial to understand.
- The sense of taste plays a significant role in detecting dietary fats, with individual variations in taste thresholds.
- Genetic predispositions may explain the observed differences in fat taste perception.
Purpose of the Study:
- To estimate the heritability of fat taste perception, known as oleogustus.
- To investigate the genetic contribution to individual differences in detecting the taste of fats.
Main Methods:
- Utilized crowdsourced data from 106 families (643 individuals) at the Denver Museum of Nature & Science.
- Conducted a pedigree analysis to assess the heritability of taste responses.
- Individuals rated the intensity of linoleic acid (LA) at various concentrations presented on taste strips.
Main Results:
- Estimated that 19% of the variability in taste response to linoleic acid (LA) is heritable.
- The heritability estimate was significant (P = 0.043) at the highest concentration of LA tested.
- Demonstrated a quantifiable genetic influence on the perception of fat taste.
Conclusions:
- Fat taste perception (oleogustus) has a significant heritable component.
- Genetics plays a role in individual differences in how people taste dietary fats.
- Further research into the genetics of oleogustus is warranted.
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