Electronic Tongue Systems for Multi-Modal Taste Sensing

Electronic tongue systems integrate arrays of low‐selectivity chemical sensors with advanced pattern‐recognition algorithms to reproduce human taste perception. By combining potentiometric, voltammetric and optical transducers, these platforms detect multimodal signals corresponding to sweetness, sourness, saltiness, bitterness and umami, as well as secondary dimensions such as astringency and richness. Sensor arrays may incorporate artificial lipid membranes, enzyme‐based biosensors or molecularly imprinted polymers to tune cross‐sensitivity toward specific taste compounds. Multivariate analysis transforms complex raw outputs into characteristic “taste fingerprints,” enabling quantitative discrimination of foodstuffs, beverages, pharmaceutical formulations and environmental samples. Recent advances have improved sensitivity to non‐charged analytes, enhanced long‐term stability through drift‐correction algorithms and achieved miniaturisation via microfluidic integration. Such systems offer rapid, objective and non‐invasive evaluation of taste profiles, reducing reliance on human panels and accelerating quality assessment across global supply chains. Ongoing developments aim to extend the range of detectable modalities, reduce cost through novel sensor materials and integrate electronic tongues into automated platforms for real-time monitoring of complex liquid media.

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Electronic Tongue Systems for Multi-Modal Taste Sensing publication trend

The graph below shows the total number of articles in electronic tongue systems for multi-modal taste sensing across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).

Technical terms

Electronic tongue: a multisensor array that mimics human gustatory perception by coupling chemical sensors with data-driven pattern recognition.

Global selectivity: sensor response uniformity to a given taste category, analogous to the human tongue’s broad sensitivity to basic tastes.

Potentiometric sensor: a device measuring changes in electrical potential at a selective membrane surface in response to ionic activity.

Voltammetric sensor: an electrode system that applies a varying voltage and records current changes to characterise analytes.

Allosteric mechanism: a sensing principle where target binding induces conformational changes in the sensor membrane, altering its electrical properties.

Chemometrics: the application of multivariate statistical and machine-learning methods to interpret complex sensor data.

References

1. Sensor Arrays and Electronic Tongue Systems. International Journal of Electrochemistry (2012).
2. Advanced Taste Sensors Based on Artificial Lipids with Global Selectivity to Basic Taste Qualities and High Correlation to Sensory Scores. Sensors (2010).
3. Potentiometric Electronic Tongues for Foodstuff and Biosample Recognition—An Overview. Sensors (2011).
4. Classification of Green and Black Teas by PCA and SVM Analysis of Cyclic Voltammetric Signals from Metallic Oxide-Modified Electrode. Food Analytical Methods (2013).
5. Development of Taste Sensor to Detect Non-Charged Bitter Substances. Sensors (2020).
6. Factors Influencing the Long-Term Stability of Electronic Tongue and Application of Improved Drift Correction Methods. Biosensors (2020).
7. Microfluidic Electronic Tongue Applied to Soil Analysis. Chemosensors (2017).