Science U
Bitter Taste Test
Season 3 Episode 1 | 1m 32sVideo has Closed Captions
Did you ever wonder why some people hate broccoli while other people love it?
Did you ever wonder why some people hate broccoli while other people love it? It could be in their genes. Your genes can make you sensitive to some food flavors. In this activity, we use phenylthiocarbamide (PTC) paper to see if you are part of the 75% of people who can taste the flavor on this paper. Don’t have access to PTC paper? Try cilantro. About 10% of people think it tastes like soap!
Problems playing video? | Closed Captioning Feedback
Problems playing video? | Closed Captioning Feedback
Science U is a local public television program presented by WPSU
Science U
Bitter Taste Test
Season 3 Episode 1 | 1m 32sVideo has Closed Captions
Did you ever wonder why some people hate broccoli while other people love it? It could be in their genes. Your genes can make you sensitive to some food flavors. In this activity, we use phenylthiocarbamide (PTC) paper to see if you are part of the 75% of people who can taste the flavor on this paper. Don’t have access to PTC paper? Try cilantro. About 10% of people think it tastes like soap!
Problems playing video? | Closed Captioning Feedback
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So does everybody like the same types of foods?
What are some foods that you don't like?
Broccoli!
Broccoli?
I don't like broccoli.
Well, as it turns out we all don't taste foods in the same way, like broccoli.
This is because it's genetic.
We inherit it from our moms and our dads.
We can test this by using chemical compounds called PTC, which are on these little pieces of paper here.
We'll be able to see who are tasters, non-tasters, and super-tasters.
So before we get started, I would like you guys to wash your hands please.
There will be mints standing by just in case you guys happen to be super-tasters.
I think I'm going to be a taster.
I bet I'm going to be a super-taster.
So when I say go, I want you to put the entire PTC strip in your mouth.
You guys ready?
1, 2, 3, go!
Bleh!
It's so bad!
[children laughing] It doesn't tastes like anything.
How many of you were non-tasters?
How about tasters?
How about super-tasters?
Do you have the bitter taste gene?
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