Evidence shows that the sense of taste is more complex than previously believed.
One set of findings suggests that humans inherit different levels of tasting ability. These levels may influence food preferences and, in turn, health status. For years researchers have known that our brain's ability to recognize tastes with the tongue helps deter us from eating poison. Accumulating evidence now suggests that this taste detection system varies in sensitivity between individuals and also may infiuence our daily diet. Scientists are finding that people inherit different levels of responsiveness to a particular test chemical.