The effect of addition of linoleic acid on food intake regulation in linoleic acid tasters and linoleic acid non-tasters

In a randomised, single blind, placebo-controlled crossover design study, we investigated whether healthy, non-smoking, dietary unrestrained women (n 24), divided into linoleic acid tasters (LAT, n 14) and linoleic acid non-tasters (LANT, n 10), differed in food intake regulation when linoleic acid was added to ice creams. The determination of subjects as LAT or LANT was done using a 10 (mu)M-linoleic acid solution. The ice creams were characterised by the subjects and a taste perception test using the triangle test was conducted three times. Food intake and appetite were measured using the universal eating monitor. LAT and LANT did not differ in characterisation or in taste perception of the ice creams, even though LAT were able to increase their ability to discriminate between the ice cream with linoleic acid from the one containing oleic acid. No effect of LAT status or type of ice cream was found for hedonic value of the ice creams. Linoleic acid taster status did affect food intake regulation. For LAT, but not LANT, the amount eaten was a function of (delta)satiety. Subjects ate by weight of food and not by energy content. In conclusion, differences in food intake regulation were seen between LAT and LANT, in that the amount eaten by LAT was a function of (delta)satiety, but was not for LANT.