Picture of Tongue

The tongue is the pink organ in the mouth used to taste. The outer layer of the tongue is the mucosa. Thousands of taste buds line the surface of the tongue. Bumps called papillae are visible on the tongue's surface. The tongue is used to produce speech and it aids in eating. The tongue is attached to the hyoid bone in the throat. The front of the tongue is anchored in the mouth by a piece of tissue called the frenum. Tastes perceived by the tongue include salty, sour, sweet, and bitter. A less commonly known taste, umami, arises from the detection of glutamate which is present in MSG.