A further study in search of the sixth taste seems to confirm that fat is perceived through the taste buds on the human tongue. These latest results come from the scientists at the German Institute of Human Nutrition (DIfE). According to researchers there is a fat receptor in the taste buds of the tongue and in the surrounding tongue tissue; these are activated by long-chain fatty acids. These fatty acids are primarily responsible for the typical taste of fat, as reported by scientists to the specialist magazine Chemical Senses. Many studies from all over the world have been published over recent years which document a fat receptor in the mouth as the cause for the distinctive taste of fat. The latest results confirm previous investigations. However, to have definitive evidence of a sixth sense, there must be proof of receptor mechanisms on taste cells in the mouth, which are then sent to the brain, reports Wolfgang Meyerhof, DIfE. Further studies have to be carried out. Up until now, the five tastes which have been recognized are sweet, sour, salty, bitter and umami.