Sachin Rathod1, Pallavi Jawale2, Suresh Babu Kondaveeti3, Chitra Pillai4
BACKGROUND
The objective of this study was to determine Phenylthiocarbamide (PTC) taster status in adults who are studying medicine and its relationship with anthropometric variables such as Body Mass Index (BMI), Body Fat Percentage (BFP) and pleasantness of sugar, salt, and fat. A total of 112 subjects rated the intensity of Phenylthiocarbamide and sodium chloride (NaCl) solutions using the labelled magnitude scale. For pleasantness evaluation, it was used with concentrated lemon juice (sugar) and mashed potato (salt and fat). The subjects were classified as non-tasters (n=32), medium-tasters (n=31) and super-tasters (n=49). In this study, no relationship was found between phenylthiocarbamide taster status and age, sex, weight, body mass index, and pleasantness. Although genetic markers may influence the degree of liking of certain foods, one must consider that the mechanisms influencing eating behaviour in humans are complex, and that psychological, social, and economic factors play a key role in response to food.
