[Investigation about the taste of di, tri- and tetrahydroxy fatty acid]

Two diastereomeric 9, 10-dihydroxystearic acids, four diasteromeric 9,10,12-trishydroxystearic acids, a mixture of diastereomeric 9,10,12,13-tetrahydroxystearic acids, a mixture of 9.12,13,-trihydroxy-10 trans- and 9,10,13-trihydroxy-11-trans-octadecenoic acids (tri-OH-mixture from lipoxygenase catalysis) and the hydrogenated tri-OH mixture were tested for bitter taste. Only the tri - and tetrahydroxy acids are bitter. The taste thresholds of the saturated tri- and tetrahydroxy acids are in the range from 1.0--4.3 micron ol/ml. There are no significant differences in the taste thresholds between the four diastereomeric 9,- 10,12-trihydroxy acids. The double bond in the trihydroxy acids from the lipoxygenase catalysis enhances the bitter taste 3-fold.