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Chemistry LibreTexts

9.1: Elements of Taste

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Essentially there are a handful of elements that compose all of the taste profiles found in the foods we eat. Western definitions of taste conventionally define four major elements of taste:

  • Salty
  • Sweet
  • Sour
  • Bitter

Asian cultures have added the following to the list:

  • Umami (literally “pleasant savory taste”)
  • Spiciness
  • Astringency

Foods and recipes that contain a number of these elements in balance are generally those that we think of as tasting good.


This page titled 9.1: Elements of Taste is shared under a CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by Sorangel Rodriguez-Velazquez via source content that was edited to the style and standards of the LibreTexts platform.

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