Physicochemical Stereospecificity in Taste Perception of α- D -Mannose and β- D -Mannose

THE anomers α- and β- D -mannose differ structurally only in that H and OH at the C 1 atom of the pyranose ring are interchanged. In spite of this apparently minor difference in structure, it has been suggested that the ambiguity of taste perception of D -mannose is due to actual differences in tast...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Nature (London) 1971-11, Vol.234 (5326), p.220-220
Main Authors: STEWART, ROBERTA A, CARRICO, CHRISTINE K, WEBSTER, RONALD L, STEINHARDT, RALPH G
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Humanities and Social Sciences
letter
multidisciplinary
Science
Science (multidisciplinary)
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Summary:THE anomers α- and β- D -mannose differ structurally only in that H and OH at the C 1 atom of the pyranose ring are interchanged. In spite of this apparently minor difference in structure, it has been suggested that the ambiguity of taste perception of D -mannose is due to actual differences in taste between the two anomers of this substance; the evidence presented in support of this view, however, was indirect because insufficient pure β- D -mannose was available for direct taste tests on that anomer 1 . Sufficient pure β- D -mannose was therefore prepared for a direct and statistically reliable comparison. It was found that the subjects reliably reported the α-anomer as sweet and the β-anomer as bitter. As before, the equilibrium mixture was found to be an ambiguous stimulator.
ISSN:0028-0836
1476-4687
DOI:10.1038/234220a0