A Novel Method to Identify Taste Blindness in the Classroom

A simplified protocol is described for preparing rapidly dissolving edible films to examine taste blindness in the classroom or laboratory. This procedure is used for preparing thin films that are composed of pullulan, the main ingredient in commercial breath freshener strips. Edible films are readily prepared that contain 6-n-propylthiouracil (PROP), a widely used stimulus for examining taste blindness in humans. This procedure requires minimal laboratory equipment and minimal supply costs. These edible films are easy to prepare, and dried films uniformly incorporate PROP within each film. These films produce strong bitter taste responses in PROP tasters and lack of a bitter taste response in PROP non-tasters. After dissolving, these edible films produce no tactile responses, are less likely to produce false negative results, and do not produce biohazardous waste. Finally, PROP taster status is important because this compound identifies individual differences in taste perception, which in turn can influence food preferences, eating behavior, and obesity risk.