Lingual Papillae and Taste Buds

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AEach individual bud houses dozens of gustatory receptors designed to bind with dissolved chemical compounds in food.
BNested within the walls of these structures are specialised clusters of sensory cells termed taste buds.
CThe human tongue is covered with thousands of small, visible elevations known as lingual papillae.
DWhen such binding occurs, the cells generate electrical impulses that travel along cranial nerves directly to the primary gustatory cortex in the brain.

Questions 2–5

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The Mechanics of Umami Perception

ASpecialised amino acid receptors on the tongue detect this compound and bind to it securely.
BThis molecular docking triggers a chemical cascade that enhances saliva secretion and promotes digestion.
CIt describes a savoury sensation triggered primarily by the presence of free glutamate in savoury foods.
DConsequently, the body receives an early physiological signal that incoming food is rich in essential dietary proteins.
EUmami was first proposed as a fifth primary taste by a Japanese chemist in the early twentieth century.

Taste Modification by Miraculin

AAs a direct result of this chemical transformation, intensely sour substances like lemons temporarily taste remarkably sweet to the consumer.
BThe berries of a West African shrub contain a unique, naturally occurring glycoprotein known to science as miraculin.
CWhen exposed to an acidic environment, the bound molecule undergoes a structural change that actively stimulates these sweet receptors.
DAlthough largely tasteless on its own, this unusual protein binds firmly to sweetness receptors on the surface of the tongue.

Genetic Variations in Bitter Taste

AThey experience vegetables like broccoli and kale as overwhelmingly bitter because of their heightened sensitivity.
BIndividuals carrying two copies of this variant are often classified by sensory scientists as supertasters.
CSuch extreme aversion frequently influences their daily dietary choices and overall nutritional intake over time.
DGenetic variation across human populations creates profound differences in how individuals perceive basic tastes.
ESome people possess a specific variant of the TAS2R38 gene that encodes a receptor for bitter compounds.

Retronasal Olfaction and Flavour

AThis upward movement of airborne chemicals into the nasal cavity is scientifically termed retronasal olfaction.
BWithout this internal olfactory pathway, the human brain cannot distinguish subtle flavour nuances, such as strawberry from vanilla.
CMost people casually conflate taste with flavour, yet flavour is actually a complex multisensory perception largely dominated by smell.
DWhile true taste is restricted to five basic qualities on the tongue, volatile food molecules rise behind the palate during chewing.

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