Question

Rita put a small piece of imli on her tongue. Which of the following tastes did she feel?
A. Sweet
B. Sour
C. Bitter
D. Salty

Answer 1

Hint: The perception produced or stimulated when a substance in the mouth chemically reacts with taste receptor cells that are located on taste buds in the oral cavity is known as taste and occurs mostly on the tongue. The sensory system which is partially responsible for the perception of taste is the gustatory system or sense of taste. The flavors of food and other substances are determined by taste, along with olfaction and trigeminal nerve stimulation.

Complete answer:
Option A Sweet: It is the basic taste which is most commonly perceived while eating foods that are rich in sugars. Many other chemical compounds are sweet, including aldehydes, ketones, and sugar alcohols in addition to sugars like sucrose. But the imli or tamarind is high in tartaric acid which adds a tart or sour taste to dishes and drinks.
Hence option A is not correct.
Option B Sour: The taste that detects acidity is sourness. Sour taste is detected by the small subset of cells which are distributed across all of the taste buds called Type III taste receptor cells. Due to the presence of an antioxidant called tartaric acid in imli or tamarind, the sour taste is perceived by the taste buds. Hence when Rita puts a small piece of imli or tamarind on her tongue, she feels a sour taste.
So, option B is the correct answer.
Option C Bitter: One of the most sensitive of the tastes is bitterness, and many perceive it as unpleasant, sharp, and disagreeable. But sometimes, it is desirable and intentionally added via various kinds of bittering agents. Imli has the presence of tartaric acid, which is an antioxidant and gives it a sour taste.
Hence option C is not correct.
Option D Salty: Salt receptors or sodium chloride receptors are the simplest receptors found in the mouth. The salty taste is produced primarily due to the presence of sodium ions. Tartaric acid is present in imli, which gives it a sour taste.
Hence option D is not correct.

Hence, Option B) Sour is the correct answer.

Note:
The taste perception among humans begins to fade around \[50\] years of age because of the loss of tongue papillae and a decrease in production of saliva. A person whose sense of taste is significantly more sensitive than the most is known as a supertaster. This is due to an increased number of fungiform papillae, which causes a heightened response.