Gustatory perception of dietary lipids: the role of gustation

For the first time in its history, a large part of the world "is no longer chasing calories". Opulent food intake has an obvious consequence: dietary lipids represent nearly 40% of the daily calorie intake whereas nutritional recommendations are 5 to 10% lower. This excessive intake combined with a qualitative imbalance (excess of saturated fatty acids and cholesterol) contribute to the increased prevalence of obesity and associated pathologies. This attraction to fatty acids is not specific to humans. Multiple behavioral studies clearly indicate that other mammals such as rats and mice also exhibit a spontaneous preference for beverages and foods fortified with fat. Until recently, the texture and the smell of lipids were held solely responsible for their orosensory detection. This restrictive view has been progressively challenged by a series of studies suggesting that gustation also contributes to the attraction to lipids.