Taste testing in renal patients
Abstract Taste is an important component of food palatability and thus influences appetite and food consumption. Decreased taste acuity has been reported to occur in patients with chronic uremia and may be one of the factors of poor nutrition. The present review focuses on both the methodology and publications of studies researching taste acuity in renal patients. The four qualities distinguished by taste are sweet, salty, sour, and bitter. In most studies taste has been assessed using solutions of these taste substances. However, suprathreshold sensitivity tested in foods may be more important because it more closely reflects the normal process of eating and tasting. All four qualities of taste are affected by renal failure, but the sense of sweet, sour, and bitter are more impaired. Many reasons for decreased taste acuity in patients with chronic uremia have been suggested but remain to be proven. One or a combination of the biochemical abnormalities associated with renal disease is likely responsible. Dialysis and renal transplantation have been reported to improve the ability to taste, although it does not always return to that of the healthy controls. Another challenge for dieticians is that taste acuity declines with age and the number of patients older than 50 years treated for renal failure is increasing in many countries.