Receptors in the cells of the tongue detect the five basic tastes: sweet, bitter, umami, sour, and salty.
Taste is typically released through chewing, so animals that swallow their food whole may not experience taste as intensely. But that’s not the only factor at play.
In a study from 2014, researchers discovered that cetaceans swallow 15 different types of food. Animals like minke whales and bottlenose dolphins lack functional genes for sweet, bitter, umami, and sour taste receptors.
Rats cannot taste these flavors either, but they can taste salt. The presence of salt receptors suggests they have an important role, such as regulating sodium levels and blood pressure.
This article addresses a question from Nicola Short sent via email: “Do animals that swallow their food whole taste?”
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Source: www.sciencefocus.com
