2. Oral perception of lipids in rodents

Recent behavioral studies, notably by Tohru Fushiki's team at Kyoto University (Japan), indicate that certain lipids may be perceived as palatable molecules by laboratory rodents.

This simple test clearly shows that rats and the mice have a strong attraction for lipids. However, the interpretation of this observation remains complex. In fact, food choice results from the integration of early orosensory stimuli (smell, texture, taste) and later signals of postabsorptive and post-absorptive origin (release of regulatory peptides by the digestive tract,...