Taste:A perception that results from stimulation of a gustatorynerve.Tastebelongs to the chemical sensing system. Tasting begins when molecules stimulate special cellsinthemouthorthroat. These special cells transmit messages through nerves to thebrain, where specific tastes are identified. Gustatory, or taste, cells react tofoodandbeverages. The taste cells are clustered in the taste buds of the mouth and throat. Many of the smallbumpsthat can be seen on thetonguecontain taste buds.Smell导致了senseof taste, as does anotherchemosensorymechanism, called the common chemical sense. In this system, thousands of nerve endings'especially on the moist surfaces of the eyes,nose、口腔和喉咙'give t上升o sensations such as the sting ofammonia, the coolness of menthol, and the irritation of chili peppers. People can commonly identify four basic taste sensations: sweet, sour, bitter, and salty. In the mouth, these tastes, along with texture,temperature, and the sensations from the common chemical sense, combine with odors to produce the perception of flavor. Flavors are recognized mainly through thesense of smell. If a person holdshisor her nose while eatingchocolate, for example, the person will have trouble identifying the chocolate flavor'even though he or she can distinguish the food's sweetness or bitterness. That is because the familiar flavor of chocolate is sensed largely by odor.
