Methods for modulating taste receptors

A method of enhancing an umami taste and/or increasing palatability of cat food products, the method comprising:

• providing a cat food product;
• and
• combining the cat food product with at least one flavor composition;
• wherein the flavor composition comprises a nucleotide derivative that activates a feline umami receptor T1R1 comprising the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:
• 2 and binds to one or more amino acids of the feline umami T1R1 receptor;
• and wherein the one or more amino acids of the feline umami receptor T1R1 are selected from the group consisting of Ser172, Thr149, Thr148, Glu301, Tyr220, Glu170, His71, Arg277, His308, Ser306, Ser384, Ala380, His47, Asn69, Asp302, Met383, Ser385, Ile309, Ser107, Asp49, and combinations thereof;
• wherein the nucleotide derivative is selected from the group consisting of N6-cyclopentyladenosine-5′-O-monophosphate (6-cPe-5′-AMP), 1,N6-ethenoadenosine-5′-O-monophosphate (ε-5′-AMP), purine riboside-5′-O-monophosphate (5′-PuMP), 5-aminoimidazole-4-carboxamide-1-β-D-ribofuranosyl 5′-monophosphate, adenosine 3′,5′-diphosphate, 2′-deoxyguanosine 5′-monophosphate, guanosine 5′-monophosphomorpholidate 4-morpholine-N,N′-dicyclohexylcarboxamidine, N6-methyladenosine 5′-monophosphate, uridine 5′-monophosphomorpholidate 4-morpholine-N,N′-dicyclohexylcarboxamidine, ribavirin 5′-monophosphate, adenosine, 5′-(dihydrogen phosphorothioate), adenosine-5′-O-monophosphorothioate, 7-deazaadenosine-5′-O-monophosphate, 2′-deoxyguanosine-5′-O-monophosphorothioate, 2′-deoxyuridine-5′-O-monophosphosphorothioate, 2′-,3′-O—(N′-methylanthraniloyl)guanosine-5′-O-monophosphate, 6-thioguanosine-5′-O-monophosphate, 2′-deoxyadenosine 5′-monophosphate, N Acetyl 5′ GMP, MRS 2179 ammonium, 2-amino-6-chloropurineriboside-5′-O-monophosphate, 8-bromoguanosine-5′-O-monophosphate, 8-chloroadenosine-5′-O-monophosphate, 6-chloropurineriboside-5′-O-monophosphate, 2′-deoxyadenosine-5′-O-monophosphorothioate, 2′-deoxyguanosine-5′-O-monophosphorothioate, 2′-deoxyinosine-5′-O-monophosphorothioate, 2′-deoxy-3′-O—(N′-methylanthraniloyl)adenosine-5′-O-monophosphate, 2′-deoxy-3′-O—(N′-methylanthraniloyl)guanosine-5′-O-monophosphate, 2′-deoxyguanosine-3′,5′-O-bisphosphate, guanosine-5′-monophosphorothioate, guanosine-5′-O-(2-thiodiphosphate), 2′-/3′-O—(N′-Methyl-anthraniloyl)adenosine-5′-O-monophosphate, 2′-/3′-O-(2-aminoethylcarbamoyl)adenosine-5′-O-monophosphate, 2′-/3′-O-(2-aminoethylcarbamoyl) guanosine-5′-O-monophosphate, N6-benzoyladenosine-5′-O-monophosphate, and adenosine 5′-O-thiomonophosphate,
• wherein the at least one flavor composition is provided in amount ranging from about 0.0001% to about 10% based on the weight of the cat food product;
• and
• wherein the at least one flavor composition increases the umami taste and/or palatability of the cat food product.