This document discusses how humans use taste buds and smell to experience different flavors. It notes that taste buds are located on papillae on the tongue and contain receptors that allow us to taste sweet, sour, salty, bitter, and umami flavors. While it was once thought that different areas of the tongue detected only certain tastes, all taste buds can actually detect all tastes. In addition to taste buds, smell also plays an important role, as the brain combines taste and smell signals to identify foods. Special olfactory receptors in the nose detect smells and send signals to the brain.

1. Ana Girnita
1st grade
Ayer Elementary School

3. Humans use their
tongue to taste
different foods
See all those bumps?
Those are called
PAPILLAE and most of
them contain TASTE
BUDS.
Taste buds are
receptors that allow us
to experience the taste
of food.

4. SWEET SOUR
SALTY BITTER

5. Umami = Japanese word for “yummy”, such as
fish, cheese or tomatoes

6. A person has about 10,000 taste
buds
They are replaced every 2 weeks
As we get older, taste buds don't
get replaced
That's why certain foods may
taste stronger to you than they do
to adults

7. It was thought that
our tongue has
different zones for
the four tastes.
It is a MYTH!
In fact, all taste
buds detect all
tastes.

8. But before you give
taste buds all the
credit for your
favorite food, it's
important to thank
your nose!!!
Both taste and smell
work together to help
us detect what food
are we eating.

9. Inside our nose we have
special cells called
olfactory receptors
These receptors help us
smell and they send a
message to our brain

10. While we are chewing, the
food releases chemicals that
immediately travel up into
our nose.
These chemicals trigger the
cells inside the nose and send
a message to our brain!
The brain will warn us about
what are we eating or
smelling!!

11. Let’s thank to our tongue and nose
for all the wonderful flavors that
we know…..
Also let’s thank them for protecting
us from the bad chemicals by
recognizing the bad flavors!!

12. THANK YOU!!