INTELLIGENT SENSOR TECHNOLOGY

At Anritsu Corporation, we first started carrying out research on taste sensors in cooperation with Prof. Toko of Kyushu University in 1989, and we succeeded in developing the world’s first taste sensing system in 1993. In 2002, we established a new company, Intelligent Sensor Technology, Inc (INSENT) as a spin-off from Anritsu Corporation. Through our products, we provide innovative solutions to solve the problems of our customers. It was previously thought that taste was subjective and therefore could not be measured and evaluated objectively. However, with our unparalleled technology, objective taste evaluation is now possible.

Hidekazu Ikezaki

President, Intelligent Sensor Technology, Inc.

Taste Sensors Model Taste Reception Taste Sensors Model Taste Reception Mechanisms of Living Organisms

The surface of the tongue of living organisms is formed of a lipid bilayer with its own specific electric potential. This electric potential varies according to the electrostatic interaction or hydrophobic interaction between various taste substances and the lipid. The amount of change is perceived by the human brain as taste information, an activity referred to as taste judgment. Our taste sensors imitate this taste reception mechanism of living organisms. Our taste sensors consist of an artificial lipid membrane (similar to that of the human tongue) that causes electrostatic or hydrophobic interactions with various taste substances, allowing them to sense “taste.”

The taste sensors evaluate two types of taste, namely initial taste, which is the taste perceived when food first enters the mouth, and aftertaste, which is the persistent taste that remains in the mouth after the food has been swallowed. Using the potential of a reference solution* as zero, the difference in potential with the sample liquid is measured as the initial taste. The sensors are then lightly washed and the difference in potential with the reference solution is measured as the aftertaste.

TS-5000Z

The Taste Sensing System TS-5000Z, which employs the same mechanism as that of the human tongue, converts the taste of various substances such as food and drugs into numerical data. Using unique aftertaste measurement technology, even aspects such as “richness” and “sharpness,” which could not be measured by conventional chemical instruments, can be expressed. Moreover, the proprietary analysis application makes obtaining analysis results easy. As a support tool for sensory evaluation, the TS-5000Z is a powerful tool for use in a variety of fields such as quality control, product development, marketing, and sales, where objective evaluation of taste is required.

List of Papers

Relationship between the Amount of Bitter Substances Adsorbed onto Lipid/Polymer Membrane and the Electric Response of Taste Sensors Kiyoshi Toko, Daichi Hara, Yusuke Tahara, Masato Yasuura, Hidekazu Ikezaki Sensors, 14(9), 16274-16286, 2014
Website >
 
Development of Sweetness Sensor with Selectivity to Negatively Charged High-Potency Sweeteners Masato Yasuura, Hirotaka Okazaki, Yusuke Tahara, Hidekazu Ikezaki, Kiyoshi Toko Sensors and Actuators B, 201, 329-335, 2014
Website >

Development of a Sweetness Sensor for Aspartame, a Positively Charged High-Potency Sweetener Masato Yasuura, Yusuke Tahara, Hidekazu Ikezaki, Kiyoshi TokoSensors, 14(4), 7359-7373, 2014
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Read more Papers :

Papers Index 1

Papers Index 2

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Response Principle

A taste sensor is required to exhibit global selectivity so that it responds consistently to the same taste similarly to the human tongue. After years of research with Prof. Toko's group at Kyushu University, Japan, we have successfully developed taste sensors based on an artificial lipid membrane that consistently responds to similar taste. Figure 1 shows the response principle of taste sensors.

The lipid in the taste sensor interacts with various taste materials via electrostatic and hydrophobic interactions, which causes a change in potential of the lipid membrane. The change is detected by a computer to provide a sensor output.

Measurement Procedure

Process 1: First, the taste sensor is immersed in a reference solution of 30 mM KCl and 0.3 mM tartaric acid to obtain the membrane potential, Vr. The reference solution has almost no taste and is used in this system as an alternative to human saliva.

Taste Sensors and Taste Information

Technologically advanced taste sensors equipped with the TS-5000Z taste sensing system exhibit the specialized feature of global selectivity, providing meaningful results with high correlation to sensory scores. This system also enables the comprehensive and objective taste evaluation of foods, beverages and pharmaceuticals with high accuracy and reliability, and can be used in a wide range of fields, including R&D, marketing, quality control and quality assurance.

The TS-5000Z was developed in 2006 under the financial support program, Risk-taking Funds for Technology Development, of Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST).
　JST's Website (PDF: 8.24MB) >

For more details, see the online brochure for the TS-5000Z ( 　PDF: 3.79MB).

Each taste sensor developed by our specific and innovative technologies has global selectivity to a taste quality, so sensor outputs can be converted to taste information that helps distinguish differences in both taste quality and intensity between samples. Table 1 shows the list of taste sensors and the related taste information.

Company History