Pungency is a sharp and biting sensory impression. Foods that cause this sensation are often called "hot" or "spicy". Pungency isn't considered a taste in the technical sense, because it's carried to the brain by a different set of nerves. While taste nerves are activated when consuming foods like chili peppers, the sensation commonly interpreted as "hot" results from the stimulation of somatosensory fibers in the mouth. Many parts of the body with exposed membranes that lack taste receptors (… (More on Pungency)