Perception of bitterness, sweetness and liking of different genotypes of lettuce

Chadwick, M., Gawthrop, F., Michelmore, R. W., Wagstaff, C. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9400-8641 and Methven, L. (2016) Perception of bitterness, sweetness and liking of different genotypes of lettuce. Food Chemistry, 197. pp. 66-74. ISSN 0308-8146 doi: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2015.10.105

Abstract/Summary

Lettuce is an important leafy vegetable, consumed across the world, containing bitter sesquiterpenoid lactone (SL) compounds that may negatively affect consumer acceptance and consumption. We assessed liking of samples with differing absolute abundance and different ratios of bitter:sweet compounds by analysing recombinant inbred lines (RILs) from an interspecific lettuce mapping population derived from a cross between a wild (L. serriola acc. UC96US23) and domesticated lettuce, (L. sativa, cv. Salinas). We found that the ratio of bitter:sweet compounds was a key determinant of bitterness perception and liking. We were able to demonstrate that SLs such as 8-deoxylactucin-15-sulphate contribute most strongly to bitterness perception, whilst 15-p-hydroxylphenylacetyllactucin-8-sulphate does not contribute to bitter taste. Glucose was the sugar most highly correlated with sweetness perception. There is a genetic basis to the biochemical composition of lettuce. This information will be useful in lettuce breeding programmes in order to produce leaves with more favourable taste profiles.

Item Type	Article
URI	https://reading-clone.eprints-hosting.org/id/eprint/44991
Identification Number/DOI	10.1016/j.foodchem.2015.10.105
Refereed	Yes
Divisions	Interdisciplinary centres and themes > Centre for Food Security Interdisciplinary centres and themes > Chemical Analysis Facility (CAF) > Mass Spectrometry (CAF) Interdisciplinary centres and themes > Chemical Analysis Facility (CAF) > NMR (CAF) Life Sciences > School of Chemistry, Food and Pharmacy > Department of Food and Nutritional Sciences > Human Nutrition Research Group Life Sciences > School of Chemistry, Food and Pharmacy > Department of Food and Nutritional Sciences > Food Research Group
Uncontrolled Keywords	lettuce, sesquiterpenoid lactone, bitterness, sweetness, sugar, bitter suppression
Publisher	Elsevier
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