In the Anthropocene, the global food system affects the geosystem and its biosphere, and thus it is important for us to reconsider our eating style s and develop new and sustainable food systems. This is particularly crucial since we are facing the risk of morbidity and mortality result from unhealthy diets. In 2019, the EAT-Lancet commission offered a new food standard that gratifies both health and environmental sustainability, calling it the planetary health diet. It is necessary for us to understand the sensory characteristics of the planetary health diet, and how we humans select, consume, and develop foods and beverages to satisfy the standards of this new dietary approach. These understandings add more fuel to promote the achievements of Sustainable Development Goals and of the planetary health diet.

This Research Topic aims to reveal the neural and biological mechanisms underlying the perception and selection of the planetary health diet. Currently, we have only little knowledge about taste and flavor perception, so we do not know what sensory characteristics of foods are liked. Also, we do not know the mechanisms involved in selecting certain foods. For example, we know that excessive salt intake induces hypertension and/or obesity, but often we do not select low-salt foods even when suffering from the high blood pressure. We also know that animal models (e.g., mice, rats) consume more of diets that impart a good taste for them. As humans however, we do not always eat so much of foods that may taste good for us, and may consume foods or beverages that are not so enjoyable for us. Thus, a multidisciplinary approach is needed to challenge these topics.

We approach these questions, and welcome research articles on the molecular biology of taste receptors, taste physiology, the physiology of eating, the psychology and cognitive neuroscience of eating behaviors, and behavioral economics of food selection. For example:

• The function and/or structure of taste receptors in the oral cavity and/or gastrointestinal organs.
• The neural responses of taste nerves to the foods, including umami taste, fat taste and kokumi.
• The physiological mechanisms of the nervous system such as vagus nerve, hypothalamus, and so forth.
• The human brain’s responses to functional foods and/or the planetary health diet.
• The “sensory nudge”, and how to use sensory cues to induce selection of the planetary health diet.
• Cultural and societal aspects of taste and flavor preferences (including cultural acceptability), such as Japanese diets, umami taste, and so forth
• Use and preferences for herbs and spices in global diets, and their role in healthy and sustainable diets
• Impact of ultra-processed and/or high fat/sugar/salt (HSS) foods in altering taste preferences
• Roles of taste in traditional food systems of indigenous peoples, and consequences for these following transitions to more processed, calorie-dense foods and tastes.

Topic editor Hisayuki Uneyama is employed by Ajinomoto Co. Inc. All other Topic Editors declare no competing interests with regards to the Research Topic subject.

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Frontiers in Nutrition

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