Information about taste is first transmitted to the brain stem at the base of the brain, and is then sent throughout the brain via connected pathways, reaching the orbitofrontal cortex at the front of the brain.
Taste buds transmit information to the brain about what we’re eating through several nerve pathways. These taste receptors on our taste buds help detect whether food is salty, sweet, bitter, sour or umami. There are around 10,000 taste buds in the human mouth, with each taste bud having up to 150 taste receptors.
Our sense of taste can also keep us safe from consuming things that are dangerous to our health, such as poisons or food which has spoilt. It also helps us metabolise the foods we have eaten. Taste helps us decide what to eat, ensuring we get enough nutrients and energy. Aside from the pleasure we get from eating food that tastes good, our sense of taste also serves other purposes.
