Table of Contents
- Knorr has developed a new ‘Supercube’ that ‘significantly reduces’ bitter taste
- It is aimed at ‘supertasters’ who are especially sensitive to bitterness.
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It’s a struggle that many parents around the world face almost daily.
But the days of trying to convince your kids to eat vegetables could soon be a thing of the past, thanks to Knorr’s new ‘Supercube’.
The cube can be used in cooking as a regular bouillon cube or sprinkled over vegetables, and promises to “significantly reduce” any bitter taste.
“Usually we want to add more flavor to food and flavor it so it tastes good,” said Alessia Ermacora, Unilever’s global R&D program leader.
“However, now our goal is to reduce the intensity for those who cannot stand bitter flavors.”
It’s a struggle that many parents around the world face almost daily. But the days of him trying to coax his kids into eating his vegetables could soon be a thing of the past, thanks to Knorr’s new ‘Supercube’.
The cube can be used in cooking like a regular bouillon cube or sprinkled on vegetables and promises to “significantly reduce” any bitter taste.
Are you a super taster?
To know if you are a supertaster:
1. Darken your mouth with red wine
2. Take a piece of paper with holes punched in the margin, which are about 6mm in diameter.
3. Place a hole over your tongue and count the number of papillae (small fleshy projections) that emerge.
4. If you have less than 15, you are not a taster, if you have between 15 and 30 taste buds you are a taster and something more than 30 means you are a supertaster.
Place a hole over your tongue and count the number of papillae (small fleshy projections) that emerge.
Food irritability (the tendency to be very picky about the textures, taste, and smell of foods) is often considered a consequence of poor parenting.
But the evidence suggests that it’s actually a matter of nature rather than nurture, and that parents are largely innocent.
In 2017, researchers discovered a variant of a gene called TAS2R38, which turns people into “supertasters.”
People with this mutation are more likely to dislike broccoli, cabbage, and spinach because of their bitterness.
Research suggests that around one in four Brits are supertasters, although most don’t know they have the gene and simply think they are picky eaters.
In a new study, Knorr recruited 94 supertasters, who were surveyed about the impact of their condition on their lives.
The results revealed that 77 percent have felt stigmatized because of their intolerance to foods such as cabbage and kale.
What’s more, 83 percent said they were called “picky eaters” or “picky eaters” as children.
Johan Swahn, senior lecturer in culinary arts at Örebro University in Sweden and “super taster”, said: “The TAS2R38 gene is not well known to the general public, but it creates problems for many people.
‘However, it has given me an enhanced sense of taste which has been a superpower in my previous work as a chef.
“I also know that the gene is overrepresented among chefs and sommeliers, giving them a clear taste advantage.”
To help combat the stigma, Knorr has developed a new bouillon cube aimed squarely at super tasters.
The Supercube is made from a blend of herbs, spices and natural flavors that reduce bitterness, although Knorr keeps the exact recipe close to its chest.
“It’s really a simple idea with huge potential for the 25 percent of the world’s population who are supertasters,” added Ms. Ermacora.
So far, it has been tested in a small limited edition pilot in Sweden.
“If demand is high, Knorr hopes to bring the Supercube to the UK and other markets in 2025, at a similar price to a normal stock cube,” a spokesperson told MailOnline.