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考试界（）网站名师幺建华教授： 押中2011年职称英语考试理工A试题： +第四十五篇Some People Do Not Taste Salt Like Others Low-salt foods may be harder for some people to like than others, according to a study by a Penn State College of Agricultural Sciences1 food scientist. The research indicates that genetic factors influence some of the difference in the levels of salt we like to eat. Those conclusions are important because recent, well-publicized efforts to reduce the salt content in food2 have left many people struggling to accept fare that simply does not taste as good to them as it does to others3, pointed out John Hayes, assistant professor of food science, who was lead investigator4 on the study. Diets high in salt can increase the risk of high blood pressure and stroke. That is why public health experts and food companies are working together on ways to help consumers lower salt intake through foods that are enjoyable to eat. This study increases understanding of salt preference and consumption. The research involved 87 carefully screened participants who sampled salty foods such as soup and chips, on multiple occasions, spread out over weeks5. Test subjects were 45 men and 42 women, reportedly healthy, ranging in age from 20 t040 years. The sample was composed of individuals who were not actively modifying their dietary intake and did not smoke cigarettes. They rated the intensity of taste on a commonly used scientific scale, ranging from barely detectable to strongest sensation of any kind. Most of us like the taste of salt. However, some individuals eat more salt, both because they like the taste of saltiness more, and also because it is needed to block other unpleasant tastes in food, said Hayes. Supertasters, people who experience tastes more intensely, consume more salt than nontasters do. Snack foods have saltiness as their primary flavor, and at least for these foods, more is better, so the supertasters seem to like them more. However, supertasters a