Bitterstoffe
Bitterstoffe are natural chemical compounds found in plants that produce a bitter taste. They are a diverse group of plant secondary metabolites and play a major role in plant defense against herbivores and pathogens. Bitter substances occur in roots, stems, leaves, fruits and seeds across many plant families.
Chemically they include alkaloids such as caffeine and quinine, glycosides, terpenoids (for example amarogentin from Gentiana
In humans, bitterness is detected by taste receptors of the TAS2R family. Humans possess roughly 25 functional
Bitterstoffe have widespread culinary and traditional medicinal uses. They are employed to flavor beverages and foods,
Overall, bitter compounds reflect an important interface between plant chemistry, sensory biology and human culture.