Researchers say the familiar “bite” of carbonated beverages comes from a chemical reaction between the carbon dioxide in the beverage and the human tongue.
August 22/Philadelphia/Red Orbit -- Researchers from the Monell Center in Philadelphia say the familiar “bite” of carbonated beverages does not come from the carbonation itself, but from a chemical reaction between the carbon dioxide in the beverage and the human tongue. After asking several adults to sip some test beverages and measure their specific bite, they now say carbonation is not necessary to get the same tactile taste on the tongue many associate with bubbles. The resulting paper from the study is now published in the open access journal PLOS ONE.
Beverages are carbonated when they are placed under high pressure and injected with carbon dioxide. Beverages like spring water, soda and beer are put under carbonation to provide a tactile sensation on the tongue and spread out the flavors from the beverage across the tongue. Though carbonation may be important for delivering flavor, specifically in beer, Bruce Byant, PhD, a sensory biologist at Monell and his team now say it does nothing for the beverage’s bite.