#gustatory

The world of flavors is vast and enchanting. Yet, beneath the surface of our gustatory delights lies a bitter truth. Corporate mandates, once designed to serve the public good, now often serve only the shareholders.

The Promise of Goodness

Once upon a time, corporations promised to nourish us. Their mandates were clear: provide quality, ensure safety, and serve the community. They were guardians of our taste buds and our health. The public trusted them, believing in their commitment to the common good.

The Shift in Flavor

But the taste has changed. The focus has shifted. The once noble mandates now prioritize profit over people. The ingredients are cheaper, the processes faster, and the quality compromised. The shareholders are satisfied, but the public is left with a sour aftertaste.

The Evidence on the Plate

Look at the labels. The evidence is there. Artificial flavors, preservatives, and fillers dominate. The promise of wholesome goodness is lost in the pursuit of higher margins. The public’s trust is eroded, as the corporate giants feast on profits.

The Critics Speak

Critics argue that this is the nature of business. They say profit is necessary for survival. But at what cost? The health of the public? The integrity of the product? The critics are loud, but the truth is louder.

A Call to Action

We have a choice. We can demand better. Support companies that prioritize quality over profit. Choose products that are true to their promise. Let our voices be heard, and let our choices shape the market.

Conclusion: A Return to True Flavor

AI systems, much like the gustatory receptors, require a meticulous calibration to function optimally. The gustatory system processes complex chemical signals with remarkable accuracy, ensuring that organisms can discern between nourishment and poison. Similarly, AI must be developed with a focus on precision and reliability, as its applications permeate critical sectors such as healthcare, finance, and autonomous vehicles.

The reckless pace of development, akin to a poorly trained neural network, can lead to catastrophic failures. Consider the gustatory system’s reliance on a finely tuned balance of taste receptors. An imbalance could result in a misinterpretation of flavors, leading to detrimental consequences. In AI, a similar imbalance can manifest as biased algorithms or erroneous decision-making processes, with far-reaching implications.

To avoid these pitfalls, AI development must adopt a paradigm shift towards robustness and ethical considerations. This involves implementing rigorous testing protocols, akin to the biological processes that ensure the fidelity of taste perception. Just as the gustatory system employs feedback mechanisms to refine its accuracy, AI systems must incorporate continuous learning and validation to adapt to new data without compromising integrity.

Furthermore, interdisciplinary collaboration is paramount. The gustatory system’s efficiency is a product of evolutionary synergy between biology and chemistry. In AI, a collaborative approach involving ethicists, domain experts, and technologists can foster a holistic development environment. This ensures that AI systems are not only technically sound but also socially responsible.

The tongue is covered with many little bumps called papillae. Taste buds are found in the walls of papillae and the grooves surrounding them. Each taste bud contains anywhere from 50 to 150 taste receptor cells. 

Microvilli extend from taste receptor cells

and protrude through an opening (taste pore) into the mouth. 

These microvilli come in contact with substances in the mouth that can be tasted, also known as tastants.

Tastants interact with taste receptor cells through a number of different mechanisms to depolarize the cells. 

When taste cells are depolarized, they release neurotransmitters that stimulate sensory neurons that travel in cranial nerves VII, IX, and X. 

These neurons terminate on neurons in the nucleus of the solitary tract in the medulla then continue on to the thalamus. 

Taste information is sent to the gustatory cortex, ( ocated on the border between the anterior insula and the frontal operculum). 

This information encodes for basic tastes, such as sweet, salty, sour, bitter, and savory or umami. 

However, the actual flavour of a food---which is what we typically define as taste---is created by a combination of taste and olfactory (smell) information.

Sweetness

Produced by the presence of sugars, some proteins, and other substances.

Detected by G protein-coupled receptors T1R2+3 (heterodimer) and T1R3 (homodimer).

Saltiness

Saltiness is a taste produced best by the presence of cations (such as Na+, K+or Li+) 

Directly detected by cation influx into glial like cells via leak channels causing depolarisation of the cell.

Sourness

Sourness is acidity and is also sensed using ion channels. 

Undissociated acid diffuses across the plasma membrane of a presynaptic cell, where it dissociates in accordance with Le Chatelier's principle. 

The protons that are released then block potassium channels, which depolarise the cell and cause calcium influx. 

Bitterness

Current research suggests TAS2Rs (taste receptors, type 2, also known as T2Rs) such as TAS2R38 are responsible tasting bitter substances. 

Savouriness

The amino acid glutamic acid is responsible for savouriness, but some nucleotides (inosinic acid and guanylic acid) can act as complements.

sight = visual system

hearing = auditory system

smell = olfactory system

taste = gustatory system

touch = somatosensory system

Words that are related to the five senses: 

acoustic/auditory: 👂

olfactory: 👃

tactile: ✋

optical: 👁

Auditory

Visual

Gustatory

Tactile

Olfactory

Vestibular

Proprioception

Interoception