Influence of the Taste of Home Cooking on Personal Preferences for Saltiness

-Survey of the Taste of Soybean Paste (Miso) Soup-

Abstract

We examined the correlation between the intensity of saltiness of soybean paste (Miso) soup prepared at home and the personal preference for saltiness to clarify the role of home cooking in the formation of preference for that taste. Samples of miso soup prepared in the home were collected from 75 women volunteers in their early twenties. The concentrations of salt, sodium glutamate and inosine 5'-monophosphate in each sample were determined. According to the personal preference for saltiness, the volunteers were classified into 3 groups as follows : preference for strong saltiness, intermediate saltiness and weak saltiness. The results of a principle component analysis indicate that the samples collected from the group which preferred weak saltiness were distinguishable from those collected from the other groups with regard to taste. The results also exhibited a lower intensity of both saltiness and umami, but a higher flavor of stock (dashi) than those for the other groups. These results suggest that the taste of home cooking influenced the formation of personal preference for saltiness, especially the preference for weak saltiness.