Screening for Sweet Taste Perception

Participants are recruited via a pre-existing participants database (division of Human Nutrition and Health, Wageningen University), internet-based advertisements, printed media and flyer distribution. Participants who appear eligible from the questionnaire are invited for a screening appointment for a clinical assessment and taste tests to confirm eligibility. During this visit, weight and height are measured and participants are screened for normal blood glucose levels, using a finger prick (FreeStyle Freedom Lite, Abbott, UK) and for their ability to taste (total score: ≥ 12), using a validated, standardized Taste Strip Test developed by Mueller et al., (2003) [53 (link)]. Eligibility is judged by an independent medical investigator. Additionally, at the screening appointment the sweet liker phenotype [54 (link), 55 (link)] is established via a liking test which is discussed in more detail below.