Answer to Question 1
During chewing, teeth crush large pieces of food into smaller ones, and fluids from foods, beverages, and salivary glands blend with these pieces to ease swallowing. Fluids also help dissolve the food so that the tongue can taste it; only particles in solution can react with taste buds. When stimulated, the taste buds detect one, or a combination, of the five basic taste sensations: sweet, sour, bitter, salty and umami, a savory flavor commonly associated with monosodium glutamate. In addition to these chemical triggers, aroma, appearance, texture, and temperature also affect a food's flavor.
Answer to Question 2
Colonic irrigation