Cooling compounds block bitter taste of saccharin
What it found
In lab tests, some menthol-like cooling compounds, including (R)-(-)-carvone, blocked the human bitter taste receptors that give saccharin its bitter aftertaste.
What they found
Animal and lab studies
Bitter receptors blocked
Some menthol-like cooling compounds, including (R)-(-)-carvone, acted as inhibitors of TAS2R31 and TAS2R43. These are the taste receptors responsible for the bitter aftertaste of saccharin and acesulfame K.
Faint cooling effect
(R)-(-)-carvone only had a faint cooling effect. Because a cooling effect is often not wanted in food flavor design, the authors expect this compound to be highly effective at improving the unpleasant aftertaste of artificial sweeteners.
What the authors conclude
“Since (R)-(-)-carvone only exerted a faint cooling effect and a cooling effect is often not preferred in food flavor design, this compound is expected to be highly effective in improving the unpleasant aftertaste of artificial sweeteners.”
Also in their conclusions
- They say the study provides new insights into how trigeminal nerve stimulants improve the aftertaste of artificial sweeteners.
- They add that it gives useful information for the flavor design of future food products containing artificial sweeteners.
How it was done
Menthol and similar trigeminal stimulants have been reported to reduce bitterness, but little was known about whether and how they affect bitter taste receptors.
The researchers tested menthol-like cooling compounds, including (R)-(-)-carvone, against two human bitter taste receptors, TAS2R31 and TAS2R43.
What it can’t tell you
- We summarised it from the abstract only.
- These are lab tests on human taste receptors, not tasting trials in people.
- They cannot show how much of a cooling compound would be needed in a real food or drink to change how sweeteners taste.
Who paid
- Funding
- Funded by Japan Society for the Promotion of Science; Kieikai Research Foundation; Toyo Suisan Foundation (from the PubMed record).
- Conflicts
- The authors declare no conflict of interest.
- Authors work at
- The University of Tokyo, Japan
The paper
- Title
- Menthol-like cooling compounds, including (R)-(-)-carvone, inhibit the human bitter taste receptors for saccharin and acesulfame K
- Type
- Study
- Evidence
- Animals and lab studies
- Summarised from
- Abstract only
- Cite
- Saito M, Misaka T (2025). Menthol-like cooling compounds, including (R)-(-)-carvone, inhibit the human bitter taste receptors for saccharin and acesulfame K. FEBS open bio. doi:10.1002/2211-5463.70098Free full textPubMed 40765399DOI
Summary written 26 Sep 2026. Check it against the paper before it changes what you eat. How we summarise papers · Report an error