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Are You a Supertaster?

June 16, 2008

Papillae are tiny, smooth red bumps with clusters of taste receptor cells, or taste buds a person has on his or her tongue. Supertasters have a lot of papillae and tend to strongly like or dislike certain foods.

Children have more papillae than adults, perhaps one of the reasons why a child may be a picky eater.

Are you a supertaster? One way to find out is to punch a small hole in a piece of waxed paper. Put the hole on the tip of your tongue and wipe it with some food coloring. With a mirror and a magnifying glass, count the papillae. Nontasters have only five or six, but supertasters have dozens of them!

Produced by ADA’s Public Relations Team

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