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Updated: May 11, 2026

Taste Exam: A Brief and Validated Test
Published on: August 17, 2018
Effects of butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) on taste compounds in Ruditapes philippinarum: Taste evaluation and
Zhiheng He1, Luqing Pan1, Aimin Song1
1The Key Laboratory of Mariculture, Ministry of Education, Fisheries College, Ocean University of China, Yushan Road 5, Qingdao 266003, PR China.
Abstract:
Synthetic phenolic antioxidants (SPAs) are ubiquitous marine contaminants with potential toxicity, yet their interference mechanisms on taste-active compound metabolism in aquatic organisms remain uncharacterized. This study employed Ruditapes philippinarum as a model to investigate the effects of butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT, a typical SPA) on taste compounds and their metabolic mechanisms. We quantified taste compound contents, evaluated taste indicators, and analyzed molecular pathways via transcriptomics and qRT-PCR. Results showed that BHT significantly altered the contents of umami (glutamate, GMP, succinic acid), sweet (glycine, betaine, glucose), and bitter (arginine) compounds, with taste activity values (TAV) and equivalent umami concentration (EUC) exhibiting corresponding changes. Mechanistically, BHT disrupted taste compound metabolism by regulating the mTOR and AMPK signaling pathways, as well as key metabolic cascades of specific taste compounds. This study clarifies the interference effects and mechanisms of SPAs on aquatic product taste quality, providing a scientific basis for ecological risk assessment of marine pollutants and quality control of aquatic products.
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