Super Sweet Lab Analysis!

       In this lab, we asked the question, "How does the structure of a carbohydrate affect its taste (sweetness)?" My group and I found out that monosaccharides have a sweeter taste thank disaccharides and polysaccharides. The collected information from our data table shows the degree of sweetness between all carbohydrates. It is given that glucose, fructose, galactose (all monosaccharides) are sweet including the disaccharide, sucrose. All this information was given during the lab process. This data supports our claim because my team mates and I tested the different sugars and inferred that monosaccharides do taste sweeter.

       The structure of carbohydrates might affect how they are used by cells and organisms. For which, it may be harder for the human body to break down the sugars which can lead to a different solution. For lactose-intolerant people, the lactose disaccharide is harder for their body to break down that sugar. The testers for the different sugars may have the same results, but it may not. Everyone has different taste buds which can be one reason why they have a different answer than another tester for a sugar. A tester can also have more of an appetite for veggies in which all vegetables are coated with the cell wall, cellulose. So if a tester who has a sweet tooth and the veggie lover tester taste test cellulose, they will get different results. A final reason why the rating of the same samples could be different for different testers concludes to allergies. A tester may be allergic to glucose will not be able to test that sugar. This leads to the fact that different testers will not get the same ratings.

       A cause for humans to taste sweetness leads to the receptor cells throughout our tongue. These receptor cells builds the sensations of of sweetness, spiciness, or bitterness. What makes everyone unique taste testing is that there will be different results for everyone. One taste bud contains almost 100 taste cells. Our taste cells can represent all 5 sensations. A taste of sweetness is very sensational, and that sensation of sugar sends a message to our brain. This is the more specific cause for the testers to rank the sweetness of the same samples differently. As a conclusion, our receptor cells are the cause for humans to taste sweetness.