Role of body weight and sex in the olfactory and gustatory pleasantness, intensity, and familiarity of a lipid‐rich food

Abstract In this study, the role of sex and body weight in the olfactory and gustatory dimensions (pleasantness, intensity, and familiarity) of mullet cured roes, a marine rich-fat food with peculiar sensory attributes, was evaluated. One hundred seventy-seven participants were enrolled. Positive correlations were observed between all food taste and odor dimensions. Women reported a significantly higher odor and taste intensity ratings than men. Multivariate linear regression analyses evidenced that body weight in women was negatively correlated to the food odor and taste pleasantness and positively correlated to odor intensity. These negative correlations were due to different women gustatory performance in relation to body weight. A significantly lower perception of salty and bitter taste was observed in women with a body weight >60 kg compared to those with a body weight ≤60 kg. Our results underline the important role of sex and body weight in the food products sensory evaluation

Role of Aromatic Herbs and Spices in Salty Perception of Patients with Hyposmia

Herbs and spices represent a possibility for the improvement of anosmia and ageusia. In this work we evaluated the role of Mediterranean aromatic herbs and spices in the salty taste perception of patients with hyposmia compared to healthy controls. To this goal, the salty taste perception in response to pure salt and different types of commercial flavored sea salt was assessed in patients with hyposmia, with or without a post-acute coronavirus syndrome, and healthy controls. Myrtle berries and leaves, a mixture of Mediterranean herbs and plants such as helichrysum, rosemary, liquorice, fennel seeds and myrtle leaves, oranges and saffron were used as salt flavoring ingredients. Differences in gustatory perception between 57 patients with hyposmia and 91 controls were evaluated considering the rate of the gustatory dimensions of pleasantness, intensity, and familiarity, using a 7-point hedonic Likert-type scale. At a dose of 0.04 g/mL, saline solutions of flavored salts, with an average 15% less NaCl, were perceived by patients with hyposmia as equally intense but less familiar than pure salt solution, with similar scores in the pleasantness dimension. Our study highlighted the central role of Mediterranean aromatic plants in the enhancement of salty perception in patients with hyposmia

Qualitative smell/taste disorders as sequelae of acute COVID-19

Background Qualitative smell/taste disorders (such as phantosmia, parosmia, phantogeusia, and parageusia) have not yet been fully characterized in patients who had COVID-19, whereas quantitative disturbances (i.e., reduction/loss of smell/taste) have been widely investigated. Objective To simultaneously assess the presence of both quantitative and qualitative smell/taste dysfunctions in patients who suffered from COVID-19. Methods We enrolled 17 consecutive patients who suffered from COVID-19 over the last 6 months and 21 healthy controls, matched for sex and age. After a negative nasopharyngeal swab, the Sniffin’ Sticks Test and the Taste Strips were used to assess olfactory and taste function, respectively. At the same time, the presence of phantosmia, parosmia, phantogeusia, and parageusia was investigated with a standardized questionnaire. Results Qualitative disturbances of smell and/or taste were found in 6/17 (35.3%) patients. Phantosmia was reported in 2/17 (11.8%) patients and parosmia in 4/17 (23.5%). There were no significant differences in smell test scores between patients who reported phantosmia and/or parosmia and patients who did not. Phantogeusia was described in 3/17 (17.6%) patients, and parageusia was identified in 4/17 (23.5%) patients. All tested patients were normogeusic. Conclusion Around one-third of patients who recover from COVID-19 may have persistent qualitative dysfunction in smell/taste domains. Detection of phantogeusia in long-term COVID-19 patients represents a further novel finding. Further investigation is needed to better characterize the pathophysiology of phantosmia, parosmia, phantogeusia, and parageusia in patients who had COVID-19

Frequency and Determinants of Olfactory Hallucinations in Parkinson’s Disease Patients

Background: Olfactory dysfunctions and hallucinations are considered common nonmotor symptoms in Parkinson’s disease (PD). Visual and auditory hallucinations are well-known; however, olfactory hallucinations (OHs) are not fully investigated. The aim of this study was to evaluate OHs in PD patients, and their correlation to motor impairment, cognitive abilities, visual and auditory hallucinations, and olfactory and gustatory function. Methods: A sample of 273 patients was enrolled: 141 PD patients (mean age SD: 70.1 9.5 years) and 132 healthy controls (mean age SD: 69.4 9.6 years). In all patients, the following parameters were evaluated: motor symptoms (UPDRSIII), olfactory function, cognitive abilities, and occurrence of OH, gustatory hallucinations (GHs), and visual/auditory hallucinations. Results: OHs were found only in PD patients with a percentage of 11.3%. Among PD patients with OHs, 2.8% also presented GHs. High significant frequencies of females, the presence of visual/auditory hallucinations, and a high mean UPDRS-III score were found in patients with OHs related to patients without them. Binary logistic regression evidenced the presence of visual/auditory hallucinations and sex as main variables predicting the presence of OHs. Conclusions: Our data indicated that OHs occur frequently in PD patients, especially in women, and often concomitant with visual and auditory hallucinations, without any association with olfactory impairment

Multiple non-species-specific pathogens possibly triggered the mass mortality in Pinna nobilis

The fan mussel, Pinna nobilis, represents the largest bivalve endemic to the Mediterranean Sea. Since 2016, dramatic mass mortality of this species has been observed in several areas. The first surveys suggested that Haplosporidium pinnae (currently considered species-specific) was the main etiological agent, but recent studies have indicated that a multifactorial disease may be responsible for this phenomenon. In this study, we performed molecular diagnostic analyses on P. nobilis, P. rudis, and bivalve heterologous host species from the island of Sardinia to shed further light on the pathogens involved in the mass mortality. The results support the occurrence of a multifactorial disease and that Mycobacterium spp. and H. pinnae are not necessarily associated with the illness. Indeed, our analyses revealed that H. pinnae is not species-specific for P. nobilis, as it was present in other bivalves at least three years before the mass mortality began, and species of Mycobacterium were also found in healthy individuals of P. nobilis and P. rudis. We also detected the species Rhodococcus erythropolis, representing the first report in fan mussels of a bacterium other than Mycobacterium spp. and Vibrio spp. These results depict a complicated scenario, further demonstrating how the P. nobilis mass mortality event is far from being fully understoo

Correlation between olfactory function, age, sex, and cognitive reserve index in the Italian population

Purpose: Loss of smell decreases the quality of life and contributes to the failure in recognizing hazardous substances. Given the relevance of olfaction in daily life, it is important to recognize an undiagnosed olfactory dysfunction to prevent these possible complications. Up to now, the prevalence of smell disorders in Italy is unknown due to a lack of epidemiological studies. Hence, the primary aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of olfactory dysfunction in a sample of Italian adults. Methods: Six hundred and thirty-three participants (347 woman and 286 men; mean age 44.9 years, SD 17.3, age range 18-86) were recruited from 10 distinct Italian regions. Participants were recruited using a convenience sapling and were divided into six different age groups: 18-29 years (N = 157), 30-39 years (N = 129), 40-49 years (N = 99), 50-59 years (N = 106), > 60 years (N = 142). Olfactory function, cognitive abilities, cognitive reserve, and depression were assessed, respectively, with: Sniffin' Sticks 16-item Odor Identification Test, Montreal Cognitive Assessment, Cognitive Reserve Index, and the Beck Depression Inventory. Additionally, socio-demographic data, medical history, and health-related lifestyle information were collected. Results: About 27% of participants showed an odor identification score < 12 indicating hyposmia. Multiple regression analysis revealed that OI was significantly correlated with age, sex, and cognitive reserve index, and young women with high cognitive reserve index showing the highest olfactory scores. Conclusion: This study provides data on the prevalence of olfactory dysfunction in different Italian regions

Flavoring of sea salt with Mediterranean aromatic plants affects salty taste perception

Background: Salt (sodium chloride) is an essential component of daily food, crucial for many physiological processes. Due to health risks related to salt over consumption, considerable interest is devoted to strategies to reduce dietary salt intake. In this work we evaluated the sensory dimensions of sea salts flavored with Mediterranean aromatic plants with the aim to confirm the role of herbs/spices in the enhancement of salty perception and to validate the use of flavored salts as a strategy to reduce salt intake. To this goal we compared taste dimensions (pleasantness, intensity, and familiarity) of solutions obtained with salt and sea salts flavored with Mediterranean herbs, spices, and fruits. Sensorial differences were analyzed using a 7-point hedonic Likert-type scale on 58 non-trained judges. Results: Main flavor compounds, identified by GC-FID/MS analysis, were α-pinene and 1,8-cineole in myrtle salt (FS 1), verbenone, α-pinene, 1,8-cineole, and rosifoliol in herbs/plants salt (FS 2), and limonene in orange fruits/saffron salt (SF 3). At the dose of 0.04 g mL-1 , saline solutions obtained with flavored salt (containing approximately 6-30% less of NaCl) were perceived as more intense, less familiar, but equally pleasant than pure salt solution. In particular, sea salt flavored with orange fruits/saffron emerged as the most interesting in potentiating saltiness perception. Conclusion: Our study confirmed the important role of Mediterranean aromatic plants in the enhancement of saltiness perception and qualified the use of flavored sea salt during food preparation/cooking instead of normal salt as a potential strategy to reduce the daily salt intake. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved

Sex Differences in the Bitterness Perception of an Aromatic Myrtle Bitter Liqueur and Bitter Compounds

We evaluated sex differences in the perception of bitter compounds and an aromatic bitter herbal liqueur (Mirtamaro) obtained by the infusion of myrtle leaves/berries together with a mixture of Mediterranean herbs/plants as flavoring/bittering ingredients. In a healthy population (n = 231 participants), using bivariate correlations and multivariate linear regression analyses, significant sex differences emerged in quinine bitterness perception, with women showing a higher bitter taste intensity rating than men. Among all participants, 40 subjects (subpopulation) were randomly selected for the evaluation of sex differences in Mirtamaro gustatory and olfactory perception using a hedonic Likert-type scale. Women showed higher ratings in Mirtamaro aroma (odor intensity) and bitterness (taste intensity) perception than men, with a superior capacity to perceive/describe its sensory attributes. 1,8-Cineole and methyl chavicol were the main contributors to the bitter liqueur aroma. A significant correlation (r = 0.564, p < 0.01) between Mirtamaro odor pleasantness/taste pleasantness was observed in women, indicating a positive contribution of aromatic herbs to bitter taste acceptability. Moreover, a higher bitter intensity rating of 6-n-propylthiouracil was evidenced in women than men. Our results highlighted sex differences in bitter taste acuity and the role of aromatic herbs/plants in modulating bitter taste acceptance, which is useful information in the field of precision nutrition and medicine

Olfactory Impairment Correlates with Executive Functions Disorders and Other Specific Cognitive Dysfunctions in Parkinson’s Disease

Introduction. Olfactory and cognitive disorders represent important non-motor symptoms in Parkinson’s disease (PD). No clear evidence was reported about association of specific cognitive domains and olfactory impairment. Objective. The aim of this study was to evaluate the association between olfactory dysfunction and specific cognitive domains in PD patients compared to controls. Methods. 178 PD patients and 98 controls were enrolled and evaluated for odor threshold (OT), discrimination (OD), identification (OI), and TDI score using the Sniffin’ Sticks test. Cognitive function was evaluated using the Montreal Cognitive Assessment scale with six sub-scores: Orientation (OIS), Attention (AIS), Language (LIS), Visuospatial (VIS), Memory (MIS), and Executive index scores (EIS). Results. Statistically significant correlations were observed between OT versus, LIS, and between TDI score versus EIS. Multivariate linear regression analysis, including age and sex which are well-known predictors of olfactory dysfunction, showed that, among specific cognitive domains, only LIS was significant predictor for OT, VIS was a significant predictor for OD, while both EIS and AIS were significant predictors for OI, and finally only EIS was significant predictor for TDI score. Conclusions. Olfactory disorders in PD patients appear commonly related to dysfunction of specific cognitive domains, with strict association between global olfactory impairment and executive function deficits