PTC TASTE ABILITY OF VARIOUS POPULATIONS IN FORMOSA

Abstract

PTC taste ability was studied in various populations in Formosa by using test paper method. Incidence of non-tasters is as follows:
A) Formosan of continental origin
1) Fo-kien origin 5.29±0.32%
2) Kwang-tung origin 4.51±0.60%
B) Native Formosan
1) Pepo (Plain population)
Siraya population 7.72±0.46%
2) High-land populations
a) Saisiyt 10.81±1.93%
b) Bunun 10.07±1.77%
c) Rukai 1.52±0.76%
The remarkable variation observed among the high-land populations may be ascribable to genetic drift due to social and geographical isolation, since the incidence of non-tasters shows no correlation with ABO blood group distribution and geographical distance among these populations.