Nutriswiss conducts advanced molecular biology sensory research for food

21 Jun 2024 --- Swiss specialist in sourcing and processing high-quality oils and fats, Nutriswiss is incorporating the latest molecular biology research findings into its development processes to produce lipids with optimal sensory, functional and physiological properties.

The company regards sensory perception research as an essential building block for future product development.

“This is a burgeoning area of research that we are following closely in order to better understand the complex world of sensory perception of oils and fats and to continuously optimize our processes and products. The findings may also contribute to the development of new flavors and fragrances in the future,” says Martin Mäder, head of industry sales at Nutriswiss.

Receptors influencing metabolism
Sensory stimuli determine whether oils and fats are perceived as tasty and pleasant, with smell and taste being the most important sensations, in combination with others. Taste is often reduced to the papillae of the tongue and the five basic tastes. 

Numerous new studies show that at the molecular biological level, various receptors and inhibitors on cell surfaces directly affect human metabolism and influence perceptions of fats and oils. Nutriswiss is harnessing these findings in the development of its products and processes.

For example, the G protein-coupled receptor GPR120 plays a vital role in regulating energy metabolism, insulin sensitivity and inflammatory responses. The newly characterized receptor binds to fatty acids of different lengths, which trigger its activation. 

Fatty acids are cleaved from triglycerides during lipolysis in the mouth but can also be found in edible fats and oils. By interacting with the receptor, they directly influence vital metabolic processes and the sensory properties of food. 

Nutriswiss uses advanced refining processes to influence the lipid composition and the concentration of fatty acids. The short-chain fatty acids can be selectively removed, giving the fats a more neutral taste and optimizing the fatty acid composition.

Nutritional physiology
The number of taste buds and receptors on the human tongue varies from person to person and, therefore, significantly influences nutritional physiology. It can affect taste preferences and the tendency to become overweight.

Receptors react differently depending on the fatty acid composition. Nutriswiss strives to remove unwanted fatty substances and optimize lipid composition through analytics and optimized processes to create quality products regarding sensory and nutritional physiology.

Another exciting avenue of research is the interaction of fat and bitter receptors. The latter are recognized by T2R proteins and the perception of bitter and fat tastes interact.