How Do People Taste 'Fizz?' It's the Sour Taste Buds, Scientists Find
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Some scientific whizzes have been studying how people taste the fizz in their carbonated drinks.
It's a tricky question, since the human tongue is supposed to sense just five flavors: bitter, sweet, salty, sour and umami, sometimes called savory.
Researchers from the University of California, San Diego, and the National Institutes of Health say it's the sour taste buds that render the so-called "taste" of carbonation. They made the discovery in mice, whose sense of taste resembles that of humans.
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The researchers say the tingly taste is actually caused by carbon dioxide, not the bubbles themselves. Scientists say humans may have developed sensitivity to carbonation as a protective mechanism, possibly to avoid eating spoiled, fermenting foods.
The study is in today's edition of the journal Science.