Metallic off-flavors are a frequent theme in discussions of food product quality, with publications dating back over 90 years. The causes of this unpleasant perception are diverse, ranging from unfavorable concentrations of micronutrients, the use of artificial sweeteners, processing, packaging, and storage, to side-effects of pharmaceutical or chemotherapeutic agents. Although some metals play vital roles in health and nutrition, the mechanisms behind metallic sensing and its contributions to taste, smell and trigeminal nerve sensations are still poorly understood. Combining in vitro assays with state-of-the-art analytical techniques, such as Single Cell Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (SC-ICP-MS), our research aims at identifying whether metal perception can be linked to food quality & safety and, especially, to a distinct biological function.

Pirkwieser, P., Behrens, M., & Somoza, V. (2020). Metallic Sensation—Just an Off-Flavor or a Biologically Relevant Sensing Pathway?. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 69(6), 1775-1780.