Fungiform papillae are tiny organs on the surface of the tongue which contain taste buds. To many people the tongue is an organ to speak and swallow food. But this small structure is very complex and delicate. The tongue can differentiate between different tastes and this is what allows us to enjoy food. Without the tongue, all food would be dull and bland. There are hundreds of taste buds located on the surface of the tongue. These small structures are most common on the front of the tongue, sides and at the back of the throat.

The taste buds allow us to sense different types of food like salt, sour, bitter, spicy and sweet. The taste buds have a hollow center called pores that have sensors and can immediately recognize the type of food. The taste receptors are intricately linked to the brain and that is why when some people who have a stroke are no longer able to taste food. It is estimated that the human tongue has about 5000 taste buds. Most taste buds are located on small projections of the tongue called papillae.
There are 4 basic types of papillae.
- The fungi form papillae have a mushroom shaped appearance and are mainly present on the tip of the tongue
- The filiform papillae are thin and cone shaped but do not contain taste buds.
- The foliate papillae have ridges and grooves and are found at the back of the tongue. They do have taste buds
- The circumvallate papillae are large, few in number and found at the back of the tongue.
In the days past, it was believed that only selected parts of the tongue could identify the different foods. However, this is not true. The entire tongue has taste buds; it is only that some people have a higher sensitivity than others in tasting the different foods. Most taste buds appear flask like with a broad base and a narrow neck. At the base of the taste buds are a whole bunch of nerves which transmit information to the brain.
The taste buds on the surface of the papillae can distinguish five tastes, sour, bitter, sweet, salty and savory (umami).

When disorders of the mouth cavity occur, they can damage these tiny organs. The most common conditions that can affect the tongue include infections like yeast or candida (thrush), herpes simplex, cancers, geographic tongue, burning mouth syndrome or stroke.
Fungus tongue or thrush is one of the most common disorders which affect taste buds. The fungus tongue which is commonly seen in patients with HIV is very resistant to treatment. Other individuals who also develop thrush are people who take antibiotics for long periods or those individuals who receive anti cancer drugs. In herpes simplex, painful vesicles develop on the lips and can present with loss of taste. In geographic tongues there is loss of shape of the tongue with uneven growth and loss of taste buds. When cancers occur in the oral cavity, there is also loss of taste.
Even though great importance has been attributed to fungiform papillae and their role in taste, they are not vital for survival.