Open Daily: 10am - 10pm | Alley door pickup 10am - 7pm 3038 Hennepin Ave Minneapolis, MN
612-822-4611

  • Open Daily: 10am - 10pm
    Alley-side Pickup: 10am - 7pm

    3038 Hennepin Ave Minneapolis, MN
    612-822-4611

Open Daily: 10am - 10pm | Alley-side Pickup: 10am - 7pm
3038 Hennepin Ave Minneapolis, MN
612-822-4611
On Taste: In Humans and Other Animals

On Taste: In Humans and Other Animals

Risso, Davide
Morini, Gabriella
Pauletto, Elettra

Hardcover

Series: Arts and Traditions of the Table: Perspectives on Culinary H

Food WritingAnatomy & Physiology

PREORDER - Expected ship date September 15, 2026

ISBN10: 0231221290
ISBN13: 9780231221290
Publisher: Columbia University Press
Published: Sep 15 2026
Pages: 152
Weight: 0.70
Height: 0.90 Width: 5.40 Depth: 8.50
Language: English

Are there only five tastes, sweet, salty, sour, bitter, and umami? Why are some so appealing to us while others are what we call acquired tastes? Do other animals perceive tastes in the same way humans do? How did the sense of taste evolve? Should the hotness of chili peppers, the coolness of mint, and the pungency of garlic be considered tastes? What can taste teach us about our health and our environment?

In this book, two leading researchers take readers on a lively journey through the science of taste. Davide Risso and Gabriella Morini trace its evolution across millions of years, ranging from microbes to octopuses through birds and finally humans. They explain how taste receptors allow us to decode the chemical composition of food and distinguish between edible and toxic items. Evolution has given varied species different capabilities, so pandas lack the ability to taste umami and cats do not perceive sweetness. On Taste also reveals how mosquitoes choose their prey--and why they like some people more than others. Rigorous and accessible, this book shows how taste unlocks the connections between science and culture, letting us understand our foods and our world more richly.

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