The tests conducted on rodents showed a receptor on the tongue tastes fat - it is not known if it is the same for humans.
The work by French researchers from the University of Burgundy appears in the Journal of Clinical Investigation.
Professor Nada Abumrad of Washington University School of Medicine in St Louis, says, "As we gain more information regarding the function of this receptor, we may be able to devise better strategies to address the addictive potential of dietary fat."
The research could explain why some people are more prone to crave certain foods more than others and even why some people put on weight, she said.
"There is evidence that obesity may be associated with an abnormal brain response to the sensory perception of a meal."
