How does the sense of taste develop?

Vitamins & minerals

Eléonore de Maurissens

Reading time: 4 minutes

Perceiving the world through the senses is essential. The perception of taste and smell begins even before birth and develops further through experience. However, the genetic influence cannot be underestimated either!

Although most food preferences originate in early childhood, they continue to evolve through adolescence into adulthood. Our society is struggling with an obesity epidemic, which is why it is important to discover strategies that make us more willing to eat certain foods, especially vegetables. Understanding how taste develops is therefore essential.

Tasting, even before birth

The flavors of the foods that women eat during their pregnancy end up in the amniotic fluid, among other places. The fetus swallows this amniotic fluid and thus becomes familiar with its mother's food.¹
After birth, the baby continues to become accustomed to the flavors of its mother's diet through breast milk. This exposure to flavors can consequently influence the baby's taste preferences. However, this does not determine eating habits later in life. During a study, 24 newborns were exposed to an anise scent and a control scent. After birth and on the 4^th day of life, the babies of mothers who had eaten anise during their pregnancy showed a preference for this scent. In babies of mothers who had not eaten anise, the researchers observed an aversion or a neutral reaction.^1,2

A flavor explosion in childhood

The early development of the sense of taste also happens through the solid foods that are added to the menu. The child then comes into contact with a range of new foods. During this specific period, babies discover the sensory properties (texture, taste, and smell) of foods that will be part of their diet in adulthood. Those who come into contact with many different foods, especially during the 1^st year of life, will be more positive toward new foods.³

The sense of taste is not innate but is acquired gradually; it is a learning process

A child's preferences and aversions

Between the ages of 2 and 5, many children experience 'food neophobia,' where they refuse to eat new foods. The child displays an aversion to certain foods. Multiple studies have shown that a food will be better received by a baby and that they will eat more of it if it is offered to them repeatedly. Although this approach is very effective, foods are usually only offered a limited number of times to our little ones (often fewer than five times). After that, parents conclude that their child does not like the food.^{3, 4}

Children and new flavors: some tips

Additional tips can help parents introduce their children to new flavors.

Let the child discover new foods using their 5 senses by asking the child to describe the texture, smell, and taste, what the food looks like, etc.
Note how the child experiences the food. Perhaps you could try adjusting the visual aspect or the texture of the food?
Let the child discover the food while using one less sense. For example, if you pinch your nose, does the food taste the same?
As a parent, set a good example, but be open to what your child communicates.
Ensure variety in food during meals every day.

Genetics also influence taste!⁵

We perceive the foods we eat through molecular 'receptors' on the tongue and in the nose. These 'receptors' recognize tastes and smells, respectively. A human has about 35 receptors for perceiving different tastes and 400 receptors for recognizing scents.
The olfactory receptors are located in zones with more genetic variation than usual. As a result, taste and smell perception differs from person to person. Smell perception (olfactory receptors) can differ by as much as 30 to 40% between two people.

For instance, one-third of the difference in sugar perception can be explained genetically. Researchers also observe strong variation in the perception of a bitter taste. This explains why some people have an aversion to bitter green vegetables, such as broccoli and Brussels sprouts. The parental environment, experiences, and genetics thus play a key role in the development of food preferences in a child. Learning to appreciate new flavors can start at a very young age, but every person is unique and will develop their own preferences.³

Do your children/parents and you like the same foods? Are you open to new taste experiences? Share your experiences on our Facebook and Instagram!

Scientific references

Mennella J.A. et al., Prenatal and postnatal flavor learning by human infants. Pediatrics 2001; 107(6):E88 - https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.107.6.e88
Schaal B. et al., Human Foetuses Learn Odours from their Pregnant Mother’s Diet. Chemical Senses 2000; 25 (6): 729–737 - https://doi.org/10.1093/chemse/25.6.729
De Cosmi V. et al., Early Taste Experiences and Later Food Choices. Nutrients 2017, 9(2), 107 - https://doi.org/10.3390/nu9020107
Hetherington M.M. et al., A step-by-step introduction to vegetables at the beginning of complementary feeding. The effects of early and repeated exposure. Appetite 2015; 84: 280–290 - http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.appet.2014.10.014
Archer N. Blame it on mum and dad: how genes influence what we eat. The Conversation. https://theconversation.com/blame-it-on-mum-and-dad-how-genes-influence-what-we-eat-45244

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