Creation of a food taste database using an in-home “taste” profile method

• A food ‘taste’ database was created using an innovative in-home profile method.
• The five basic tastes and fat sensation were studied.
• Over the in-home measurements period (8 months), 590 foods were described.
• Six major classes of foods were identified.
• The food contributors of high intensities were highlighted.

The purpose of this study was to create a food ‘taste’ database using an innovative in-home profile method. The five basic tastes and fat sensation were studied. The proposed method consisted in an intensive training in laboratory (55 h, 5 months) immediately followed by an in-home measurements phase (8 months) during which 12 trained panelists had to evaluate the five tastes and fat sensation of the foods they typically consumed. The rating scales were inspired by scales used in the Spectrum™ method. During the in-home measurement phase, ratings were reported thanks to a web-based tool and each month the panelists returned to the laboratory for a 2-h retraining session.The results showed that the proposed method could lead to results of good quality compared to those obtained in laboratory. Over the in-home measurements period, 590 foods were described (average number of evaluations by food: 8.7). Six major classes of foods were identified on the basis of tastes and fat sensation perceptions enabling a “sensory” classification of foods to be proposed. The food contributors of high intensities were also highlighted, contributing to have an overview on the sensory sapid world we face in our diet. Linking this sensory database with other types of data on food opens new perspectives in nutrition and epidemiology.