PTC Taste Test

Our exploration of Genetics is in full swing and today students used PTC paper to test whether they are a supertaster or not. PTC (Phenylthiocarbamide) is a chemical that tastes really bitter to some people (supertasters) kind of bitter to others (medium-tasters) and has no taste to some (non-tasters). Your ability to taste PTC is reliant on a single gene. If you have two copies of that gene you are a super taster, only one copy means you are a medium-taster, and no copies means you are a non-taster.

Click this molecule to learn more about PTC and the genetics of taste.