PTC/PROP tasting: Anatomy, psychophysics, and sex effects

@article{Bartoshuk1994PTCPROPTA,
  title={PTC/PROP tasting: Anatomy, psychophysics, and sex effects},
  author={Linda M Bartoshuk and Valerie B. Duffy and Inglis J. Miller},
  journal={Physiology \& Behavior},
  year={1994},
  volume={56},
  pages={1165-1171}
}
Taste worlds of humans vary because of taste blindness to phenylthiocarbamide (PTC) and its chemical relative, 6-n-propylthiouracil (PROP). We review early PTC studies and apply modern statistical analyses to show that a higher frequency of women tasted PTC crystals, and were tasters (threshold classification). In our laboratory, scaling of PROP bitterness led to the identification of a subset of tasters (supertasters) who rate PROP as intensely bitter. Supertasters also perceive stronger… 
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702 Citations

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Fat Perception is Related to PROP Taster Status
TLDR
The hypothesis that individuals who are PROP tasters have a higher density of fungiform papillae; are more sensitive to capsaicin; and have increased ability to discriminate differences in fat content in salad dressing is tested.
Supertasting, earaches and head injury: Genetics and pathology alter our taste worlds
TLDR
Otitis media and head trauma can alter taste and thus PROP classifications, complicating studies on PROP genetics, and some subjects with a history of otitis media show taste reductions, but others show enhanced tastes and appear to have more taste buds per fungiform papilla.
PROP Taster Status Is Related to Fat Perception and Preference a
TLDR
The hypothesis that fat perception and preference can be linked to genetic and anatomical differences between individuals is supported.
Detection thresholds for quinine, PTC, and PROP measured using taste strips
TLDR
The data suggest that determining taster status for quinine using paper “taste strips”, applied to front part of the tongue, represents a suitable method for the screening for ageusia for bitter taste.
Thermal taste, PROP responsiveness, and perception of oral sensations
TLDR
Examination of ETA-squared values showed that PTS had a greater effect on perceived intensities than did TTS for most sensations, and concluded that pSTs and TTs possess greater responsiveness across a range of taste and trigeminal stimuli and concentrations.
Relation between PROP taster status and fat perception, touch, and olfaction
TLDR
In general, taster status was not related to the perceptions of fat, saltiness, and sweetness, and increasing the flavor levels in the potato chips and mashed potatoes enhanced the perception of fattiness for these systems.
Measures of individual differences in taste and creaminess perception.
TLDR
Comparisons of individual differences in perception of 4 prototypical taste stimuli and PROP under conditions that also enabled assessment of the reliability of individual intensity ratings of taste support other evidence that the genetic factors which determine the ability to perceive PROP do not play a major role in overall taste and oral somatosensory perception.
Individual Variation in PROP Status, Fungiform Papillae Density, and Responsiveness to Taste Stimuli in a Large Population Sample
TLDR
A complex interplay between 6-n-propylthiouracil status and fungiform papillae density and the need of a critical reconsideration of their role in food perception and acceptability is highlighted.
Associations between taste genetics, oral sensation and alcohol intake
TLDR
The results support that variation in oral sensation associates with alcohol intake, and those who taste PROP as least bitter and have low chorda tympani relative to whole mouth taste intensity appear to have fewest oral sensory hindrances to the consumption of alcoholic beverages.
PROP (6‐n‐Propylthiouracil) Supertasters and the Saltiness of NaCl a
TLDR
Taste blindness to phenylthiocarbamide and its chemical relative 6‐n‐propylthiouracil (PROP) was discovered in the 1930s was discovered to be the most intense to supertasters because taste buds in fungiform papillae are innervated by the trigeminal nerve as well as the chorda tympani nerve.
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