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Flavor Test Results in General Population

Completed
Conditions
Smoking
Age Problem
Weight, Body
Interventions
Diagnostic Test: Flavor test
Registration Number
NCT03506074
Lead Sponsor
Federico II University
Brief Summary

Dietary choices are influenced by several factors, including physiological, social or genetic factors. Among these, flavor is the most important determinant modulating the preferences versus specific foods.

Flavor perception is the result from the sensory integration of taste and odor properties of food.

Aim of the present study was to assess flavor abilities in a large population using a validated perceptive test.

Detailed Description

This protocol investigates flavor perception using the flavor test, a specific test to assess the retro-nasal olfactory function.

A decrease in taste and smell abilities can result in loss of appetite, inadequate dietary intake and malnutrition. Several diseases and conditions have been associated with taste disorders and a decline in gustatory function is very common in the elderly.

The flavor test was previously developed, validated and patented by our group. It consists of a series of 20 aromatic extracts, corresponding to routine dietary use flavors for Italian people.

Each tastant, originally stored in a 30 mL amber bottle, is diluted in distilled water and stored at 4 °C, then it is kept at room temperature for 20 min before administration.

An aliquot of approximately 0,5 mL of each tastant is administered in the oral cavity using a 3mL Transfer Pipet and left for approximately 5 seconds; the mouth is then rinsed twice with distilled water before the administration of the following tastant.

At each administration, participants are invited to identify the aromatic by making a choice from 5 proposed items. A total of 21 aromatics (including one blank) are administered sequentially. The flavor score (FS) is calculated as the sum of correctly identified aromatics and ranged from 0 to 21.

Recruitment & Eligibility

Status
COMPLETED
Sex
All
Target Recruitment
420
Inclusion Criteria

Age ≥ 18 years

Exclusion Criteria

Allergies, drug usage

Study & Design

Study Type
OBSERVATIONAL
Study Design
Not specified
Arm && Interventions
GroupInterventionDescription
General populationFlavor testAdult volunteers (≥18 years of age) selected as part of a project to investigate the role of lifestyle in preventing chronic diseases supported by the Campus Salute association (www.campussalute.it). All volunteers performed the flavor test as described in Maione et al, Endocrine, 2016 (doi:10.1007/s12020-015-0690-y).
Primary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Flavor scoreImmediately after the test administration flavor score was calculated

A flavor score (1-21) was measured in all the studied subjects using the Flavor test

Secondary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
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