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Fetus develops taste
for food in the womb
It is never too early to cultivate a
gourmand, results of a study suggest. According to researchers with the Monell Chemical
Senses Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, exposure to flavors either through amniotic
fluid or in breast milk can influence a child's food preferences. The study adds to a body
of research showing that the food tastes of animals are also developed in the womb.
This finding suggests a mechanism by
which the fetus receives information about foods that are safe and available, according to
Dr. Julie A. Mennella, one of the study's authors. It is also a way for a fetus or young
child to learn about the culture.
'Very early flavor experiences may
provide the foundation for cultural differences,' Mennella told. 'Mother's milk reflects
the culture in which the child is born.'
In the study, presented at a recent
meeting of the American Psychiatric Society in Miami, groups of pregnant women drank water
or carrot juice during pregnancy and lactation. |
