Is fat taste ready for primetime?

• Fat taste is not universally recognized as a primary taste quality.
• Recent evidence suggests potential fat receptors in the oral cavity of mammals.
• Gustatory signals from fats possibly drive intake and preference for fatty foods.
• The endocannabinoid system plays a key role in dietary fat intake and preference.

Mounting evidence suggests that gustation is important for the orosensory detection of dietary fats, and might contribute to preferences that humans, rodents, and possibly other mammals exhibit for fat-rich foods. In contrast to sweet, sour, salty, bitter, and umami, fat is not widely recognized as a primary taste quality. Recent investigations, however, provide a wealth of information that is helping to elucidate the specific molecular, cellular, and neural mechanisms required for fat detection in mammals. The latest evidence supporting a fat taste will be explored in this review, with a particular focus on recent studies that suggest a surprising role for gut-brain endocannabinoid signaling in controlling intake and preference for fats based on their proposed taste properties.