The Taste Map, Umami and Kokumi (Complexities In Taste)
I remember learning about taste in elementary school. We were taught that there were four tastes: Sweet, Salty, Sour, and Bitter. Each of these tastes were sensed on a particular region of the tongue. The teacher handed out mimeographs that had a tongue drawn on them as a pop quiz. We were expected to write the name of each taste on the proper region of the tongue. I am sure I had to have gotten at least one wrong. Which means I got two wrong. Which means I failed the test. Which means my elementary school failed me. Why? Because, there is no truth to the taste map theory. It was information that I absorbed at an early age and never questioned it. It's like that time I read about the dreaded Hoop Snake and thought that there was a snake that would bite its tail and roll down hills in order to surprise its victim. The Taste Map theory isn't just a little wrong . It has been debunked several times, including studies ...