I only need to say love it or hate it and you instantly know what I am talking about – it’s that controversial spread called Marmite of course. Now scientists at the Exercise and Nutritional Genomics Research Centre…
…have carried out a study to find out why we either love or hate the taste of this iconic food – looking at genes to provide them with the answers.
The study states (warning, science ahead): “There is evidence in the nutrigenomics literature showing that there is a genetic basis for human taste perception. In particular that single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in taste receptor genes are associated with bitter tasting ability and umami tasting ability.
“Our results indicate that there is a genetic basis to Marmite taste preference and we have identified 15 genetic markers for this trait.
“Overall, we conclude that Marmite taste preference is a complex human trait influenced by multiple genetic markers, as well as the environment.”
I’m not sure this study is going to set the world alight or tell us anything new (our genes form the basis of who we are, right?) but it certainly must have been a fun job for the scientists involved.
The Marmite company itself now sells official Marmite gene project DNA testing kits, so you can ‘discover if you are a born lover or hater’. Surely you can discover that by simply buying a jar and tasting it?
https://www.dnafit.com/marmite/