This thesis is an investigation of the sensory attributes of selected phenolic acids found in whole grains. Salivary protein-phenolic acid interactions were investigated using SDS-PAGE to further understand possible mechanisms of astringency development in low molecular weight polyphenols. Sensory attributes of aqueous solutions of ferulic acid and vanillic acid were determined to be sour, bitter and astringent, as determined by a trained panel. Time-intensity studies on the temporal component of bitterness, sourness and astringency of phenolic acids revealed that bitterness and astringency of the phenolic acid solutions increased with repeated exposures. The precipitation of salivary proteins was not found to be required for the development of astringency of ferulic, vanillic or gallic acid. These results suggest that salivary protein binding activity may not be an accurate measure of the astringency of all polyphenols.