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"There's no question that as the baby boomers are aging they're losing their taste buds, and as a result they're drawn not only to more spicy foods, but to more flavorful foods of all kinds."

So says Phil Lempert, a food market analyst who runs SupermarketGuru.com, which tracks consumer trends in supermarkets and restaurants. He's quoted in this tasty article in boston.com.

And so the national shift toward bolder flavors is put right on the tongues of Boomers -- "As they age, they are losing their ability to taste - and turning to spicier, higher-flavor foods to overcome their dulled senses."

What's different about us -- and we are specialists in being different -- is that our appetites are broad and we have "a full set of teeth and the spending power to shape the entire food market."

And not only is it spices that we champion. We go for the power of cheese as well: blue, feta, and Gorgonzola, according to Sloan Trends Inc. Plus we are driving the market for "organic foods, grab-and-go foods, nutritionally enhanced products, and fresh local produce."

You can thank "sensory irritants." They are sensed through the chemosensory system, which conveys sensations like touch, temperature, pain, and pressure. And foods in that group include such gasp-inducers as habanero, jalapeno, black pepper, horseradish, ginger and cinnamon.