Sourness
Any flavor or gustatory perception that could be roughly described as acidic or caustic is called a sour taste sensation. We use words like soapy, tart, corrosive, sharp, astringent, tangy, acerbic, rancid, vitriolic, biting, vinegary etc. to identify these flavors. To make a binary description of a sour sensation compare it to tasting a lemon. Report the result using one of the following algebraic statements. If the two experiences are not comparable, then say that the sensation is not a sour sensation and express this as $\delta_{\sf{H}}=0$. If the sensation is like tasting a lemon, then say that it is tart. Write this as $\delta_{\sf{H}}=+1$. If the sensation is not like tasting a lemon, then say that it is soapy and that $\delta_{\sf{H}}=-1$. The number $\delta_{\sf{H}}$ is called the sourness.
Here is a link to the most recent version of this content, including the full text.
![]() |
Tasting a Lemon |
Summary |
Adjective | Definition | |
Sourness | $\delta_{\sf{H}} \equiv \begin{cases} +1 &\sf{\text{if a sour taste sensation is tart }} \\ \; \; 0 &\sf{\text{if a sensation is not sour }} \\ -1 &\sf{\text{if a sour taste sensation is soapy }} \end{cases}$ | 2-8 |
page revision: 58, last edited: 31 Jul 2022 02:49