Postoral receptors and alimentary taste: implications for energy intake and appetite

Eating behavior is shaped by genetic, psychological, and physiological factors, with nutrient sensing playing a central role in modulating intake. The tongue, as the primary gustatory organ, initiates this process by influencing hedonic preferences, food choices, and feeding behavior. Recent sensory research has highlighted the potential role of an emerging class of taste modalities known as alimentary tastes. This concept refers to the gustatory detection of compounds that produce weak or subtle taste perceptions but elicit strong postoral effects. While most studies have focused on umami and fat taste in that category, growing interest surrounds newly characterized modalities such as kokumi- and complex carbohydrate-associated tastes. Basic and alimentary taste stimulus influence behavior and physiological processes both pre- and postingestion. Their receptors, present in enteroendocrine cells, detect specific nutrients and regulate gut feedback mechanisms. Emerging research is investigating not only their involvement in metabolic disorders and conditions such as malnutrition, but also their potential as therapeutic targets for modulating appetite, nutrient absorption, and endocrine responses. This narrative review aims to identify and characterize the functions of these postoral receptors along the gastrointestinal tract in the regulation of food intake and to evaluate their therapeutic potential in metabolic conditions such as obesity and type 2 diabetes.