HAVE AN ONION

PURPOSE : To determine your sensitivity to taste.

MATERIALS : Toothpicks
                            Blindfold
                            Spring type clothespin
                            Apple
                            Onion

MATERIALS :

• Cut the apple and onion into small bite size pieces of equal size.
• Ask a helper to assist you with the experiment. Without seeing or smelling, the person will decide on the identity of the food by taste only.
• Blindfold the helper and place the clothespin on his or her nose. An old clothespin with a weak spring is best so that it will not pinch too tightly.
• Use a toothpick to place a piece of apple in the helper's mouth and give instruction to chew it and identify what the food is. It is important that the helper has not seen the food samples before the experiment starts.
• After making an identification, have your helper remove the nose clip and compare the taste when odor is included.
• Replace the clip and blindfold then use a toothpick to place the onion poece in your helper's mouth.
• Ask for an identification.
• Remove the clip and again ask for an identification.

RESULTS : Without smelling the apple and onion have a similar taste. The texture of the food will give clues, but the taste is the same.

WHY? The tongue has nerve ending that allow one to taste things that are sweet, sour, salty, or bitter. Most of the taste sensations experienced are due to smell. Make a note of how tasteless food seems the next time you have a cold and cannot breath properly.