Conclusion

My hypothesis was correct according to my experiment results because the taste was different when the pH of saliva was alkaline from when the pH of saliva was neutral when tested multiple times, consequently, I can come to a conclusion that the pH of your saliva does affect the taste of food.

Without saliva you would not be able to taste this!!!And it would taste weird
if you ate this cupcake when the pH of your saliva is not neutral.

Experiment Results

RESULTS :

PROCESS 1

For process 1 of my experiment all 3 people had a pH of 7 after drinking water and then said that the orange juice tasted sweet and refreshing.

PROCESS 2

For process 2 of my experiment 2 out of the 3 people who testes on this had a pH of 8 after brushing their teeth thoroughly with toothpaste with a pH of 9. The other person had a pH of 9 but all 3 agreed that the orange juice had a sour, bitter taste to it even though it was the same orange juice as consumed before.

pH Experiment

Experiment Method

My experiment method:

This processes will be repeated 3 times with different people.

PROCESS 1:

1 Drink a glass of pure water with a pH of 7, neutral.
2 Spit out your saliva into a cup after all the water is swallowed and record the pH of your saliva.
3 Drink a glass of orange juice with a pH of 4
4 Record if the taste of the orange juice was the same as normal

PROCESS 2 :

1 Drink a glass of pure water with a pH of 7, neutral.
2 Brush your teeth with toothpaste with a pH of 9.
3 Spit your saliva out into a cup and record the pH level.
4 Drink a glass of orange juice with a pH of 4.
5 Notice any taste changes with the taste of the orange juice.
6 Explain the difference between the taste of the orange juice drank before and the orange juice consumed last.

Hypothesis

My hypothesis is that the pH of your saliva does affect the taste of food because when the ph of your saliva is acidic and then you consume something basic the pH of your saliva increases closer to pH 7, neutral.They cancel each other out depending on the pH of each food. For example, when you drink some lemon juice which has a pH of about 1.8 -2.3 which causes the pH level of your saliva to become acidic. And then you drink some salt water ( sea water ) which has a pH of 8 - 9 the taste is not as quite strong as when you drink salt water when the pH level of your saliva is 7 , neutral.


Glass of pure water with a pH of 7, neutral.


Sea water with a pH of 8- 9, bases.

Research

This is all of my research for my question - Does the pH of saliva affect the taste of food'?

This is the pH scale and examples of substances which are of that pH level.
1-6 = Acidic, 7 = neutral , 8-14=alkaline

pH1= Hydrochloric Acid
pH2=Lemon Juice,Gastric Acid,Vinegar
pH3= Grapefruit,Orange Juice, Soda
pH4= Tomato Juice, Acid Rain
pH5= Soft Drinking Water, Black Coffee
pH6= Urine , Saliva
pH7= Pure Water
pH8= Sea Water
pH9= Baking Soda
pH10= Great Salt Lake, Milk of Magnesia
pH11= Ammonia Solution
pH12= Soapy Water
pH13= Bleach, Oven Cleaners
pH14= Liquid Drain Cleaner'

Saliva usually has a pH chemical level of between 6.0 and 7.4.

You need saliva to taste food because enzymes dissolve the chemicals in food and only then can you taste the food.Enzymes is a substance contained in saliva that dissolves the chemicals in food.

Many researchers say that the pH of your saliva does affect the taste of food. This statement is correct because when you brush your teeth using toothpaste which has a pH level of ph8 - ph9 which is alkaline and then you drink some orange juice which has a pH of 3 - 4 the taste is extremely different from when you drink it when the pH of your saliva is neutral.



This is a picture of enzymes in saliva.

Introduction

My science question is : Does the pH of saliva affect the taste of different foods?
The pH scale measures how acidic or alkaline ( basic ) the substance is. The pH scale goes up to 14. pH 1-6 are acids on the scale and pH 7 is neutral, neither acid nor alkaline. pH 8-14 are alkaline on the pH scale.Alkaline can be referred to as bases.My question is that if the pH of your saliva is at a certain level if it will affect the taste of food and if the taste differs from when the pH of your saliva is neutral and when the pH of your saliva is acidic or basic.