Skip to main content
OpenTrials
Completed

NCT Number: NCT07059117

Umami Taste Intensity and ad Libitum Meal Intake

Background Sweet and salty tastes can influence food intake {Sørensen, 2003 #40}. Increased intensity of these tastes has been shown to decrease food intake and increase satiation compared to the less intense taste, independent of palatability {Bolhuis, 2010 #245;Bolhuis, 2011 #251;Chung, 2007 #253;Lucas, 1987 #258;Vickers, 1998 #252;Vickers, 1998 #249;Vickers, 2001 #246;Yeomans, 1998 #244}. Umami taste intensity has been shown to reduce subsequent food intake {Masic, 2014 #7}, especially when paired with protein content in foods {Masic, 2014 #6}. Taste can be related with nutrient content of the diet, with sweet foods having carbohydrates, salty foods containing sodium, and umami foods containing protein {Teo, 2018 #37}.

However, no study has yet investigated the impact of umami and food intake, using the approach of similar palatability and differing taste intensity levels {Forde, 2016 #254}. Given its relationship with nutrient signaling, it is important to explore the relationship between umami intensity and satiation. Therefore, this study aims to compare ad libitum food intake of two levels with similar palatability and differing umami taste intensities (high and low) to food intake from a meal with optimum taste intensity.

Methods Test session 1 Determine individual's most preferred level of umami taste in 10 risotto samples, use Booth's method {Booth, 1983 #247}. Samples will contain a fixed level of salt, and MSG concentrations ranging from 0.2-1.2 w/w%, based on the optimal amount of MSG added to enhance taste to be 0.1-0.8 w/w% {Wijayasekara, 2017 #70}. Per individual, samples that are closest to those situated at -3.5 and +3.5 from the optimum (at 7) will be selected (figure 1).

Healthy, normal weight participants will be included. Previous studies have applied this method in sweet and salty tastes with 15-59 participants {Bolhuis, 2010 #245;Bolhuis, 2011 #251;Bolhuis, 2012 #255;Vickers, 1998 #252;Vickers, 1998 #249;Vickers, 2001 #246}.

Test session 2, 3 and

In a randomized cross-over design, participants will receive the optimum, high and low MSG risotto. The following will be measured:

* Test meal consumption (primary outcome); * Liking before meal; * Liking after meal; * Water consumption; * Taste intensity ratings of the meal; * Habitual dietary taste exposure (tasteFFQ).

Subjects will be asked to eat a similar breakfast and to not consume anything between breakfast and lunch session. They will also be asked to refrain from eating for one hour after the test session. Participants will be asked to fill in the tasteFFQ, to investigate the link between dietary taste patterns and hedonic umami taste ratings.

Data will be analyzed using Rstudio. First, normality will be assessed, and data will be normalized if needed. Difference in food intake in grams between the three intensities will be compared using ANOVA. A post-hoc test will be applied if statistical outcomes are significant. Categorical variables will be compared using Chi-square test.

Completed

Looking for future studies?

Notify Me

Key information

Conditions

Taste Sensitivity Food Intake Regulation Hedonic Function Palatability Umami Taste Perception

Age range

18 year–55 year

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

Department of Human Nutrition, Wageningen University

Wageningen, Netherlands

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: Yes

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

  • Self-reported healthy;
  • BMI between 18.5 and 25 kg/m2;
  • Age between 18 and 55 years old;
  • Able to visit the research facilities on the Wageningen campus for hedonic mapping (once) and for the risotto lunch meal (three times);
  • Able to provide informed consent.

Exclusion criteria

  • Diagnosed with smell- or taste disorder(s);
  • Use of medication that could influence taste ability and/or food intake behaviour;
  • Food allergy or intolerance to any of the ingredients used in the ad libitum test meal;
  • Consumption of more than 14 (women) or 21 (men) glasses of alcohol per week;
  • Student or personnel of the Health Research Unit at Wageningen University

Treatment and study plan

Hedonic mapping

Other

During the first session, participants will be presented with risotto samples differing in MSG content and thus umami taste intensity, assigned based on Booth's method (Booth et al., 1983). Based on these individual ratings, umami taste intensities of the ad libitum test meals will be calculated per participant.

Ad libitum risotto test meal

Other

During the ad libitum test meal, participants will be presented with 800 grams of risotto with either high-, low-, or optimum umami taste intensity.

Primary outcomes

  1. Difference in food intake from ad libitum test meal between taste intensity conditions

    Time frame: Test session 2, 3, and 4 (week 2, 3 and 4)

    Difference in food intake in volume (grams) from the ad libitum test meal between the three (high-, low- and optimum) umami taste intensities.

Secondary outcomes

  1. Difference in liking before meal between taste intensity conditions

    Time frame: Test session 2, 3, and 4 (week 2, 3 and 4)

    Difference in test meal liking, measured on a Visual Analogue Scale, 0-100 (0 representing not liking at all, 100 representing like very much) between the three (high-, low- and optimum) umami taste intensities.

  2. Difference in liking after meal between taste intensity conditions

    Time frame: Test session 2, 3, and 4 (week 2, 3 and 4)

    Difference in test meal liking, measured on a Visual Analogue Scale, 0-100 (0 representing not liking at all, 100 representing like very much) between the three (high-, low- and optimum) umami taste intensities.

  3. Difference in umami taste intensity ratings of the ad libitum test meal between taste intensity conditions

    Time frame: Test session 2, 3, and 4 (week 2, 3 and 4)

    Difference in taste intensity ratings of the ad libitum test meal, measured on a Visual Analogue Scale, 0-100 (0 representing no umami taste at all, 100 representing very intense umami taste) between the three (high-, low- and optimum) umami taste intensities.

  4. Difference in water consumption during the ad libitum test meal between taste intensity conditions

    Time frame: Test session 2, 3, and 4 (week 2, 3 and 4)

    Difference in water consumption in volume (grams) from the ad libitum test meal between the three (high-, low- and optimum) umami taste intensities.

  5. Difference in reported appetite and fullness ratings between the three conditions

    Time frame: Test session 2, 3, and 4 (week 2, 3 and 4)

    Before and after the ad libitum test meals, appetite and fullness ratings of participants, measured on a Visual Analogue Scale, 0-100 (0 representing not at all, 100 representing very much). Differences of these rating between umami taste intensity conditions (low-, high- and optimum umami taste intensity) will be assessed.

  6. Habitual taste exposure

    Time frame: The month prior to the first ad libitum test meal (session 2).

    Habitual taste exposure will be measured with a food frequency questionnaire (tasteFFQ) specifically designed to assess relative food intake based on taste cluster. Individual optimum umami intensity will be compared to habitual dietary taste exposure to the salt, umami and fat taste cluster, as well as to the intake of umami tasting food items.

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Wageningen University

Other

Registry information

Official study title

High Versus Low Versus Optimal Umami Taste Intensity in a Risotto Mixed Meal With Comparable Palatability on ad Libitum Meal Intake

Acronym: RiceSort

Important dates

Study start
2025
Primary completion
2025
Study completion
2025
First posted
Jul 10, 2025
Registry last updated
Aug 17, 2025

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

Related clinical trials

Published trials that share one or more normalized conditions with this study.