Question

Why is it that when you get cold, you can’t taste anything? In your answer be sure to discuss the relationship between taste and smell

Answer 1

Cold is a viral infection. During cold WBC s in the body produce chemicals to kill viruses.This cause increased mucous secretion resulting in nasal congestion .inflammation and loss of smell.

Relation between taste and smell

When smell is lost, it affect taste also.This is because these two senses uses the same type of receptors.Olfactory cleft at the roof of the nose senses smell.Most taste are sensed via a combination of taste receptor activation and vapor molecules in the mouth that are exhaled into the nasal cavity for detection by olfactory receptors.The flavour of food is produced only after taste is combined with a smell. So if a stuffy nose impairs your sense of smell, it will also decrease your perception of taste.