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Bitterness

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2 min
Topic
Computer Science
Quality
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Last edited
11 Jul 2026
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From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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  1. Bitterness
Bitterness
Basic taste

Bitterness, also known as bitter, is one of the most sensitive of tastes, and many experience it as unpleasant, sharp, or off-putting, but it is sometimes desirable and intentionally added via various bittering agents. Common bitter foods and drinks include coffee, unsweetened cocoa, South American mate, coca tea, Momordica charantia, unripe olives, citrus peel, some varieties of cheese, many plants in the Brassicaceae family, Taraxacum greens, Marrubium vulgare, wild chicory, and escarole. The ethanol in tastes bitter, as do the additional bittering ingredients found in some alcoholic beverages, including in and in . is also known for its bitter taste and is found in .

alcoholic beverages
1
hops
beer
gentian
bitters
Quinine
tonic water

Bitterness is of interest to those studying evolution, as well as to various health researchers23 as a large number of naturally-occurring bitter compounds are known to be toxic. The ability to detect bitter-tasting, toxic compounds at low thresholds is thought to serve an important protective function.234 Plant leaves often contain toxic compounds, and among leaf-eating primates there is a tendency to prefer immature leaves, which tend to be higher in protein and lower in fiber and toxins than mature leaves.5 Among humans, various food processing techniques are used worldwide to detoxify otherwise inedible foods and make them palatable.6 The use of fire, changes in diet, and avoidance of toxins has allowed for several loss-of-function mutations that have resulted in a reduced sensory capacity for bitterness in humans compared to other species.7

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Last edited
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General
  • Recent changes
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  • Random discovery
This article
Reading time
2 min
Topic
Computer Science
Quality
Start-class
Views
1.2k in 14 days
Last edited
11 Jul 2026
Print/export
  • Printable version
In other projects
  • Wikidata item
Last edited
11 Jul 2026