Remember the biology class in school about the taste sensors in the tongue? In this lesson of sweet taste receptors mentioned was at the end, and then to the salty taste is next, then to the edge of a sour taste, and last for a bitter taste in the base of the tongue.
Then where lies the spicy flavor? Apparently spicy is not a flavor. No wonder, it seems there is no distribution of spicy receptors on our tongue. So, what exactly is it spicy? Spicy is a hot and burning sensation received by the tip of the tongue nerve called papillae.
Chili or spicy foods that cause sensation are foods that contain a compound called capsaicin. The more capsaicin we eat, we will increasingly find it spicy. So, how does this capsaicin affect our tongue and cause spiciness? Capsaicin, which is a particle that binds to receptors on the tongue papillae. Capsaicin can bind to any of tongue papillae, not always at the end, side, or base. So, nothing to do if someone told you to eat chili on the side of the tongue alone though not spicy.
According Madsci site, the more papillae that binds to capsaicin, the spicy sensation felt also that we get. Then, if spicy is not a flavor, how we can "feel" the sensation? So, when capsaicin was already bonded with the tongue papillae, it will send signals to the brain where the signal was identical to the signal when we feel heat and pain. Thus our brain caught, we're feeling the heat or pain in the tongue actually the "hot" or "pain" does not exist. That's why we think there is taste.
So if you were asked how to taste the food, and what is your answer? Spicy. *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | MADSCI | SEPTI | PIKIRAN RAKYAT 31012013]
Note: This blog can be accessed via your smart phone.
