Taste for Vegemite Dictated by DNA

Sky News ^ | Saturday, 9 September 2017

[nickcarraway]

A study has revealed people's like or dislike for Vegemite is in their DNA.

Whether people love or hate the yeast-based spread is reportedly down to their parents, according to a new study by DNAFit - one of the UK's top genetic research centres - who have discovered your genes determine whether or not you enjoy the opinion-dividing snack.

DNAFit asked 260 adults to taste a 2g serving of Marmite, the British equivalent of Vegemite, before filling out a questionnaire noting their reaction to it, and after analysing the DNA of each participant, researchers discovered the make up of 15 particular single-nucleotide polymorphisms in their genes were linked to taste preference.

Principal Investigator behind the project, Thomas Roos, says: 'Our research indicates that Marmite taste preference can in large parts be attributed to our genetic blueprint, which shows that each of us is born with a tendency to be either a 'lover' or 'hater'.'

But it isn't completely down to your genes, as people can also have their taste in food products altered by the environment around them.

Thomas added: 'Like anything in genetics, taste preference is dictated by both nature and nurture. Our environment can impact our taste preference as much as the genes we are born with.'

[Jamestown1630]

A lot of our tastes are simply the product of what we grew up eating.



Entomophagy:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Entomophagy

[Yardstick]

I keep a little jar of Marmite around to use for an occasional umami blast in cooking. As an experiment I just tried it on buttered toast. Pretty good, in my opinion. In fact, quite tasty. But maybe that’s just my DNA talking.

[Mrs. Don-o]

OK, OK. According to the article, you must have a genetic dislike.

I, on the other hand, have a moderate genetic like. Don’t blame me, I was born that way.

DNA, all OK.

[Trillian]

I’ve never tasted it either.

[Harmless Teddy Bear]

It is actually good if you don't try to spread it on your toast like peanut butter.

Scrap if off until you have just a bit and it is tasty.

And it makes a wonderful addition to any sort of beef dish.

It is like anchovies. Too much is nasty. A bit turns dishes from ok to "is there any more?"

[hal ogen]

I don’t know about a “genetic” dislike...I’d call it a taste repulsion. Double yuck! To each his own...

[Covenantor]

Mikey's favorite in the third grade...

;>)

[Jamestown1630]

I loved the smell of that stuff, but never understood the eating of it.

[Jamestown1630]

Mrs. Don-o mentioned putting it in beef stew gravy. Can you use it to flavor soup stock? And what does it actually taste like?

[Mrs. Don-o]

It tastes a lot like soy sauce, in my opinion. Very salty and concentrated and meaty, like the good brown stuff you scrape up from the bottom of a pan after searing meat or mushrooms, or like eating a bouillon cube--- except you wouldn't EAT a bouillon cube, and that's the point: Vegemite (or in the UK, Marmite) is a condiment, not an entree.

You can add it to any savory dish to ramp up the "umami". Then you don't taste "it" (just like you don't taste a straight bouillon cube), you just notice that the dish has a more complex, rich, interesting taste. It makes savory foods taste "more like themselves."

So. Any soup stock. Yes, yes, yes.

I started using it because it is just insanely packed with B vitamin complex. I stuck with it for the Yum Factor.

[Harmless Teddy Bear]

Yes.

It is my "secret ingredient" in soup or a smidgen in a pan sauce or gravy.

It tastes sort of like very salty pan drippings.

Do not, for the love of mike, add vegemite and then salt without tasting first.

[Covenantor]

Agree with that...the smell of fresh mimeographed test sheets were “ interesting” in much the same way.

[Jamestown1630]

Thanks to both of you. I hadn’t thought about the B-vitamin angle. I’ll keep it in mind.

[Mrs. Don-o]

To continue (hey, am I turning into a fanatic here?) --- I was on a quest to get a HOT drink that would be quick to fix and really nutritious, like all those cold frozen-banana smoothies, but not. And hot.

So I started with a tiny baby-spoonful of this blessed beer by-product, Vegemite, in hot V-8 juice. Oh my gosh! Then I added collagen protein powder and some spices, garlic and cayenne pepper.. Oh my gosh squared! A dab in any gravy (brown or white) will knock your socks off. We now add it to meatloaf, and to the ground beef for burgers, and to cream of mushroom soup, and stock-based stews and sauces. Experiment using a tiny smidgen. You'll soon learn how much is right for Umami Oh-Mama! Just remember to omit the salt.

[Jamestown1630]

Well, now I’m intrigued. If you do a search, there are lots of sites with recipes for using it:

http://www.olivemagazine.com/recipes/best-marmite-recipes/

[Mrs. Don-o]

Thanks for the link-- I hadn't heard about the B12-brain boost connection.

This prob'ly explains why I'm so smart!

":^P