The tongue

Composed essentially of muscle tissue, the tongue plays a role in our sense of taste, a primitive sense that enables us to evaluate our environment in order to distinguish between harmful and harmless substances. Taste buds in the lingual papillae react to taste molecules more or less intensely in a liquid state. A large number of lingual papillae (between 2000 and 4000) cover the tongue in particular, giving it its rough texture. Yet papillae come in various forms and can also be found in the palate, cheeks, pharynx and epiglottis. According to recent studies, all nuances of taste would appear to be perceived wherever papillae are found.

It is interesting to note that without a sense of smell, food appears to be tasteless, as this sense is responsible for 80% of taste.