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The tongue
TRUE or
FALSE?
has taste zones

Taste maps took off in the 20th century,
when it was thought the tongue could

be divided into taste zones. But then
scientists discovered that different

tastes can be detected everywhere
on the tongue—so there really is no
accounting for taste!

Umami comes from a Japanese
word, translated as “pleasant,
TASTE BASE savory taste.” It was scientifically
indentified in 1908 by Kikunae
Ikeda, a professor at Tokyo
Imperial University.

Olives are often considered
“an acquired taste”—they are
disliked at first but then liked
after trying them a few times.

Various parts of the tongue
The tongue is covered in microscopic were thought to be exclusively
bumps called papillae. Many are filiform responsible for different tastes.
papillae, which help the tongue grip This zone was thought to
detect salty tastes.
food. Other types of papillae house
sensors called taste buds, which detect
tastes in food. Fungiform papillae
(pictured) detect the full range of Sweet sensations are
detected by the taste
tastes, while about ten big circumvallate buds and recognized as
papillae at the back of the tongue are enjoyable by the brain.
more sensitive to bitter tastes.

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