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. 2022 Nov 30;45(6):188–192. doi: 10.18773/austprescr.2022.067

Table 2. Tastes and masking flavours.

Taste of the medicine Examples* Flavour to mask the taste of the medicine
Sour Multivitamins (e.g. vitamin C) Cherry, lemon, lime, mandarin, orange, strawberry, raspberry, pineapple
Bitter Antibiotics
Paracetamol
Corticosteroids
Cherry, chocolate, liquorice, strawberry, peach, coffee, mint, lemon, lime, raspberry, tutti-frutti, orange, cinnamon
Sweet Lactulose
Sorbitol
Caramel, lemon, orange, vanilla, bubble-gum
Salty Iron supplements
Antihistamines
Macrogol laxatives
Oral rehydration solutions
Banana, caramel, cream, chocolate, grape, vanilla, raspberry, orange, cinnamon, nut, butter, butterscotch, maple
Any Spreadable yeast extract, peanut butter, jam, honey, apple sauce, custard, ice cream

* Common examples are based on patient reports, although any drug may be considered ‘bad’ tasting depending on subjective taste preferences.