FAT IS A FLAVOR UNTO ITSELF

TASTE

You may be able to add fat to the distinct tastes of sweet, salty, sour, bitter and umami (evoked by monosodium glutamate). Fat is more than just texture or "mouth-feel," as scientists have traditionally believed. Richard Mattes, Ph.D., a professor of nutrition at Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana, measured blood-fat levels in subjects who tasted or smelled (but did not ingest) food to prove that fat has an aroma and flavor. The results, published in the journal Physiology & Behavior, help explain why fat-free foods are so disappointing. "Failure to account for taste may compromise quality" says Mattes.