Biomaterial Database

Carbohydrate taste preferences in rats: glucose, sucrose, maltose, fructose and polycose compared. 1987

A Sclafani, and S Mann

Department of Psychology, Brooklyn College, City University of New York 11210.

The taste preferences of adult female rats for solutions of five different carbohydrates were evaluated using brief (3-min) two-bottle preference tests. At the lowest concentration tested (0.03 molar) the order of preference was Polycose greater than maltose greater than sucrose greater than glucose = fructose. Whereas at the highest concentrations tested (0.5 or 1.0 molar) the preference order was sucrose greater than maltose greater than or equal to Polycose greater than glucose greater than fructose. Thus, at low concentrations starch-derived polysaccharides (Polycose) are more palatable to rats than are sugars. These findings are consistent with the hypothesis that rats have separate taste receptors for sugars and for starch-derived polysaccharides. The fact that maltose is the most preferred sugar at low concentrations is attributed to its stimulation of "polysaccharide" taste receptors.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008320	Maltose	A dextrodisaccharide from malt and starch. It is used as a sweetening agent and fermentable intermediate in brewing. (Grant & Hackh's Chemical Dictionary, 5th ed)
D011134	Polysaccharides	Long chain polymeric CARBOHYDRATES composed of MONOSACCHARIDES linked by glycosidic bonds.	Glycan,Glycans,Polysaccharide
D004040	Dietary Carbohydrates	Carbohydrates present in food comprising digestible sugars and starches and indigestible cellulose and other dietary fibers. The former are the major source of energy. The sugars are in beet and cane sugar, fruits, honey, sweet corn, corn syrup, milk and milk products, etc.; the starches are in cereal grains, legumes (FABACEAE), tubers, etc. (From Claudio & Lagua, Nutrition and Diet Therapy Dictionary, 3d ed, p32, p277)	Carbohydrates, Dietary,Carbohydrate, Dietary,Dietary Carbohydrate
D005260	Female		Females
D005518	Food Preferences	The selection of one food over another.	Food Selection,Food Preference,Food Selections,Preference, Food,Preferences, Food,Selection, Food,Selections, Food
D005632	Fructose	A monosaccharide in sweet fruits and honey that is soluble in water, alcohol, or ether. It is used as a preservative and an intravenous infusion in parenteral feeding.	Levulose,Apir Levulosa,Fleboplast Levulosa,Levulosa,Levulosa Baxter,Levulosa Braun,Levulosa Grifols,Levulosa Ibys,Levulosa Ife,Levulosa Mein,Levulosado Bieffe Medit,Levulosado Braun,Levulosado Vitulia,Plast Apyr Levulosa Mein,Levulosa, Apir,Levulosa, Fleboplast
D005947	Glucose	A primary source of energy for living organisms. It is naturally occurring and is found in fruits and other parts of plants in its free state. It is used therapeutically in fluid and nutrient replacement.	Dextrose,Anhydrous Dextrose,D-Glucose,Glucose Monohydrate,Glucose, (DL)-Isomer,Glucose, (alpha-D)-Isomer,Glucose, (beta-D)-Isomer,D Glucose,Dextrose, Anhydrous,Monohydrate, Glucose
D000818	Animals	Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA.	Animal,Metazoa,Animalia
D013395	Sucrose	A nonreducing disaccharide composed of GLUCOSE and FRUCTOSE linked via their anomeric carbons. It is obtained commercially from SUGARCANE, sugar beet (BETA VULGARIS), and other plants and used extensively as a food and a sweetener.	Saccharose
D013649	Taste	The ability to detect chemicals through gustatory receptors in the mouth, including those on the TONGUE; the PALATE; the PHARYNX; and the EPIGLOTTIS.	Gustation,Taste Sense,Gustations,Sense, Taste,Senses, Taste,Taste Senses,Tastes