Relationship between Bitterness of Peptides and their Chemical Structures

Abstract

Various peptides and derivatives of peptides and amino acids were synthesized and tasted, systematically, to elucidate the relationship between bitterness and chemical structures of peptides.
We have found that: 1. Peptides become more bitter than the original amino acids when their amino and carboxyl groups are blocked and when peptide bond is formed. 2. A peptide molecule with a high content of amino acids with hydrophobic side chains will develop bitter taste. 3. The amino acids in a peptide chain independently contribute to bitterness regardless of amino acid sequences and configuration.