Measurement of gustation: From clinical to population-based methods

Valid measurement of taste is critical for advanced understanding of how variation in taste perception and alterations in taste perception influence dietary behaviors, health, and well-being. Psychophysical procedures exist for measuring the concentration of taste required for detection or recognition, but changes in perceived intensity and liking (hedonic responses) with changes in concentration above threshold are more relevant for diet and health. Here, measures of taste perceived with the whole mouth as well as regional measures of specific taste-related cranial nerve innervation are reviewed. Recommendations and best practices are provided to avoid common mistakes in measuring perceived intensity toward increased ability to understand and document variation in taste and oral sensation. Taste testing is covered for laboratory settings as well as for clinical settings, and for community- and population-level studies.