Why use your own tongue to check the spiciness levels of foods? That’s the question being answered by a group of four researchers who have published a study on the new “soft and flexible” artificial tongue they’ve developed for that. The device works because milk contains proteins called casein that bind to capsaicin, the chemical that makes peppers hot. Researchers mixed skim milk powder with other materials to create a gel sensor shaped like a tongue. When they put capsaicin on the gel, it changes how electricity flows through it, and that change tells them how spicy something is.
The sensor can detect spice levels from super mild to painful hot. It also picks up other spicy flavors from things like garlic, ginger, and black pepper. The team tested eight different peppers and eight spicy foods on their artificial tongue, and the results matched well with what human taste testers said. This could help food companies test spicy products without burning anyone’s mouth, or it could be used in robots or devices for people who can’t taste.
Source: Phys.org
