Detection of interactions between lipid/polymer membranes and taste substances by quartz resonator

The response of a quartz resonator coated with a lipid/polymer membrane to basic taste substances was investigated. The quartz resonator was coated with the same lipid/polymer membrane as that possessed by a potentiometric multichannel taste sensor. The oscillation frequency of the coated quartz resonator showed different responses depending on the taste substances and the lipid in the membrane. The responses of the membrane potential and the quartz resonator to taste substances were compared to study the interaction between the membrane and the taste substance. Information different from the response of the membrane potential was obtained from the quartz resonator with the lipid/polymer membrane.