Affiliations
Member, Monell Chemical Senses Center
Education
Ph.D. Food Science, Cornell University
Research Summary
How does the human taste system detect nutrients from foods we consume? What are the roles of our taste system in digestion and metabolism of the consumed foods? What are the intrinsic and extrinsic factors affecting differences in such processes across individuals?
We address these questions by measuring human sensory perception and analyzing biospecimens such as saliva and blood. When necessary, we also adapt chemical methods to modify foods or food ingredients for use in human testing, which allows us to understand how our taste system recognizes certain nutrients.
Keywords
taste, starchy, sweet, psychophysics, carbohydrate chemistry, sensory nutrition, ingestive behavior
Representative Publications
Martin LE, Penner MH, Lim J. (2024) Taste of common prebiotic oligosaccharides: Impact of molecular structure. Chemical Senses, 49, bjae023
Pullicin AJ, Wils D, Lim J. (2023) Oral glucose sensing in cephalic phase insulin release. Appetite, 191, 107070.
Pullicin AJ, Newsom SA, Robinson MM, Lim J. (2022) Use of c-peptide as a measure of cephalic phase insulin release in humans. Physiology and Behavior, 255, 113940.
Lapis TJ, Penner MH, Balto AS, Lim J. (2017) Oral digestion and perception of starch: Effects of cooking, tasting time, and salivary α-amylase activity. Chemical Senses, 42, 635-645.
Lapis TJ, Penner MH, Lim J. (2016) Humans can taste glucose oligomers independent of the hT1R2/hT1R3 sweet taste receptor. Chemical Senses, 41, 755-762.
