The threshold of salt taste recognition among a sample of Moroccan population

Published in Nutrition & Food Science on 1st December 2020, Guennoun et al conducted a simple-blind experimental study to determine salt taste recognition and evaluated differences based on gender, body mass index (BMI), and age among 201 Moroccan men and women aged 15 years and older.

Conducted during 2018, the study used trained researchers and followed the three alternatives forced choice (3-AFC) method. The study found that 84% and 97% of participants recognized the salt taste at a concentration of 15 mmol/L and 30 mmol/L respectively. Women detected the salt taste at a lower concentration compared to men (53% versus 38%) and no significant difference was found between different age groups.

The authors conclude that the average threshold of salt taste among Moroccan men and women is high, and even higher in men, and provide recommendations for a progressive reduction of salt in food products.

Read the full article here.