The sense of taste is more important than many people think. When used with our closely integrated sense of smell, it allows us to enjoy the flavors in the food we eat. It also helps us to identify and avoid the consumption of potentially dangerous substances. This may have been particularly useful to early humans who gathered plants and fruits for food; the taste of certain substances from inedible organisms would have served as an effective warning. Infants also benefit from this function because they often put things in their mouths (usually things that don't belong there). Without our sense of taste, we would still be able to survive, but life would be less enjoyable.

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