Q. Define Taste sensitivity?

The concentration of a substance (in saliva) required to trigger the sensation of taste is much higher than the concentration of a substance (in air) required to provoke the sensation of odour.

The four primary tastes are not sensed equally. They are affected by time and concentration. For example, salt on the tongue is sensed in a fraction of a second, while bitter substance require a full second after it comes in contact with the tongue, however, these bitter sensations tend to linger for a longer duration than any other sensation.

The concentration needed to bring about a sensation varies from one individual to another.

The concentration required for identification is known as "threshold". Individuals differ in their sensitivity to the four sensations, and the threshold for each of the four primary tastes is usually not at the same level in any of the individual.