Editing Supertaster (section)

===Identification===
[[File:Blue tongue.jpg|thumb|180x180px|Tongue colored with blue food dye revealing the [[fungiform papillae]].]]
The tongue's [[fungiform papillae]] can be revealed with blue food dye.

Supertasters were initially identified based on the perceived intensity of [[propylthiouracil]] (PROP) compared to a reference salt solution. Supertasters consume more salt in comparison to those with average taste.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Hayes |first1=John E. |last2=Sullivan |first2=Bridget S. |last3=Duffy |first3=Valerie B. |date=2010-06-16 |title=Explaining variability in sodium intake through oral sensory phenotype, salt sensation and liking |journal=Physiology & Behavior |volume=100 |issue=4 |pages=369–380 |doi=10.1016/j.physbeh.2010.03.017 |issn=0031-9384 |pmc=2874635 |pmid=20380843}}</ref> Subsequently, salt has been replaced with a non-oral gustatory standard. Therefore, if two individuals rate the same gustatory stimulus at a comparable perceptual intensity, but one gives a rating twice as large for the bitterness of a PROP solution, the experimenter can be confident the difference is real and not merely the result of how the person is using the scale.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Lim |first1=Juyun |last2=Urban |first2=Lenka |last3=Green |first3=Barry G. |date=July 2008 |title=Measures of Individual Differences in Taste and Creaminess Perception |journal=Chemical Senses |language=en |volume=33 |issue=6 |pages=493–501 |doi=10.1093/chemse/bjn016 |pmid=18453638|pmc=2899842 }}</ref> Today, a phenylthiocarbamide (PTC) test strip is used to help determine if someone is a low taster. The general population tastes this as bitter about 75% of the time.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://learn.genetics.utah.edu/content/basics/ptc/|title=PTC The Genetics of Bitter Taste|website=learn.genetics.utah.edu}}</ref>

Many studies do not include a cross-modal reference and categorize individuals based on the bitterness of a concentrated PROP solution<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Prescott J, Ripandelli N, Wakeling I | title = Binary taste mixture interactions in prop non-tasters, medium-tasters and super-tasters | journal = Chemical Senses | volume = 26 | issue = 8 | pages = 993–1003 | date = October 2001 | pmid = 11595676 | doi = 10.1093/chemse/26.8.993 | doi-access = free }}</ref><ref name="Lanier 2005">{{cite journal | vauthors = Lanier SA, Hayes JE, Duffy VB | title = Sweet and bitter tastes of alcoholic beverages mediate alcohol intake in of-age undergraduates | journal = Physiology & Behavior | volume = 83 | issue = 5 | pages = 821–831 | date = January 2005 | pmid = 15639168 | doi = 10.1016/j.physbeh.2004.10.004 | s2cid = 40244872 }}</ref> or PROP-impregnated paper.<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Sipiora ML, Murtaugh MA, Gregoire MB, Duffy VB | title = Bitter taste perception and severe vomiting in pregnancy | journal = Physiology & Behavior | volume = 69 | issue = 3 | pages = 259–267 | date = May 2000 | pmid = 10869591 | doi = 10.1016/S0031-9384(00)00223-7 | s2cid = 26518676 }}</ref> Supertasters tend to have more fungiform papillae and pain receptors than tasters and non-tasters.<ref>{{Cite web|date=May 31, 2016|title=Super-Tasters and Non-Tasters: Is it Better to Be Average?|url=https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/2016/05/31/super-tasters-non-tasters-is-it-better-to-be-average/|access-date=2020-06-04|website=The Nutrition Source|language=en-us}}</ref> It is also possible to make a reasonably accurate [[self-diagnosis]] at home by carefully examining the tongue and looking for the number of fungiform papillae.<ref>{{cite web|title=Super-Tasting Science: Find Out If You're a "Supertaster"!|date=December 27, 2012|work= Science Buddies | publisher = [[Scientific American]]|url=http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/super-tasting-science-find-out-if-youre-a-supertaster/|access-date=2021-07-18}}</ref>