Detection of the suppression of saltiness by Umami substances using a taste sensor

A multichannel taste sensor, i.e., an electronic tongue, whose transducer is composed of several kinds of lipid/polymer membranes with different characteristics, can detect taste in a manner similar to human gustatory sensation. In this study, we attempted to detect the suppression of saltiness by the umami substance monosodium glutamate (MSG) using a multichannel taste sensor. To quantify the saltiness, a principal component analysis (PCA) was applied to membrane potential data. The saltiness was expressed on the τ scale, which is the relationship between the salty strength perceived by humans and the NaCl concentration, using PCA. It was quantitatively shown that the saltiness of NaCl was weakened by MSG.