Feeding Preferences of Giant Pandas May Reflect the Detection of Specific Volatiles and Bitter-Tasting Metabolites in Bamboo Leaves as Markers of Nutritional Status

Giant pandas feed preferentially on bamboo but choose different species and organs depending on factors such as the altitude and season, suggesting preferential selection according to their nutritional requirements. However, the mechanism of selection is unclear. Pandas cannot directly sense the nutritional quality of bamboo shoots but tend to sniff their food before consumption, inferring that odors inform their choice, which is then reinforced by the selection of positive and negative taste cues. To investigate the basis of selection, we observed the effects of 10 different bamboo species on feeding behavior, including food item selection, feeding frequency, portion size, food processing time per bite, and amount consumed per meal. Three of the bamboos were preferred, another four were consumed when the preferable bamboos were unavailable, and the remaining three were always rejected. We then characterized the volatile components of the bamboo leaves as well as the primary and secondary metabolites, allowing us, for the first time, to correlate feeding behavior with metabolomics. The three groups shared some volatile compounds but 21 volatiles were unique to the preferred leaves and appeared to confer sweet and fresh aromas, whereas the inedible leaves produced 20 unique volatiles that were pungent or floral, which appeared to discourage feeding. The three groups also shared many common nonvolatile metabolites, but pairwise comparisons revealed both qualitative and quantitative differences in metabolite abundance that resulted in the preferred leaves accumulating compounds associated with a sweet taste in humans (e.g., sugars), while the inedible leaves contained metabolites often associated with sour and bitter tastes (e.g., certain flavonoids and acids). Following attraction by certain volatiles, giant pandas may therefore consolidate their selection of leaves that are potentially more nutritious by consuming those with sweeter, less bitter and less sour tastes.