It's addictive, burdens our arteries, and impairs memory—yet we crave fat, much like Karadoc in Kaamelott. Researchers at Purdue University affirm this in a study published in the journal Chemical Senses, proposing fat as the sixth basic taste alongside sweet, salty, sour, bitter, and umami. They call it oleogustus.
Scientists explain that our palate detects free fatty acids as a distinct taste component. "Remove the color, aroma, or flavor, and you lose the experience. Without fat, there's no true taste," notes Hervé This, a physicist-chemist at INRA.
"Most dietary fats are triglycerides, which provide appealing textures like creaminess but aren't primary taste drivers," says Richard Mattes, professor of nutritional sciences at Purdue University and lead author of the study.
In excess, however, fat overwhelms the body and palate, triggering rejection akin to rancid food—a protective signal from our physiology, much like "Disgust" in Inside Out.
