Does anybody else notice a nasty, bitter taste in their mouth after they eat pasta salad (not the mayonnaise kind, but the Italian seasoning kind)? I don’t seem to notice it when I’m eating the pasta salad, but then it comes on shortly afterwards and affects the taste of whatever else I’m eating. Today I had some, and it ruined the taste of the pineapple and watermelon I ate afterwards.
Wouldn’t you say that it’s probably caused by the Italian Dressing? Do you ever have Italian dressing on a regular salad and get this aftertaste?
No, I haven’t noticed this phenomenon after eating regular salad with Italian dressing.
Only the storebought kind, brought by lazies to potluck picnics.
Next time take the pasta out of the box before cooking. 
More seriously, what I think Hazle is suggesting is that the pasta itself is unlikely to have any flavor. Whatever you are tasting must come from the dressing.
Is there cilantro in the dressing? Many people perceive cilantro as having a bitter, soapy taste.
I don’t think it has cilantro. Cilantro rules, and it doesn’t have a bitter taste to me.
This was my thought as well. If you’re eating something store-bought, that could explain it. I seem to remember having this phenomenon occur to me on occasion back when I ate that stuff. Now I mostly make my own pasta salads from scratch.
It might also be the particular brand of Italian dressing - when I make pasta salads, I very often use store-bought pesto. A couple of brands had a very odd aftertaste that I couldn’t really place, but the brand I use now is very good (Dell Alpe).
Are you drinking wine with it? That’s why you didn’t used to have wine with salads - oil and vinegar based salad dressing tastes nasty with wine.
I think I know what you’re talking about. Sort of a metallic aftertaste. I’ve definitely tasted it in commercial pasta salads. That’s why I make my own!
Thank heavens I’m not the only one. My husband thinks I’m crazy, but I won’t eat store-bought pasta salad at all.
I think the metallic, bitter taste comes from the pickle relish that a lot of these deli pasta salads and macaroni salads use.
I get the somewhat bitter/metallic aftertaste as well. Also from some frozen pasta and from Pizza Hut pasta. I wonder if some of these companies have changed their preservatives.
It is a very unpleasant aftertaste, mine kicks in about five minutes while eating it.
I used to like Stouffer frozen pasta dinners dammit.
Yes, I’ve tasted it. The mayonnaise-based pasta salad that they sell in the vending machines at work also has an aftertaste, but it’s different.
I have never tasted the aftertaste on green salad, even with Italian dressing.
Ooh, I get that nasty aftertaste, too…hate it, hate it…but I always forget, and then buy it again…
I know this is an ancient thread, but I had to reply, because I just went searching for the answer to this question. Did I find it? Nope. But THIS HAPPENS TO ME, TOO and I HATE it! But I love pasta salad!
I just had some Target Greek Orzo salad, and a few bites in, I was ready to trash it. It’s a shame, really. Lots of good stuff…feta, Kalamata olives…
But I’m going to blame it on bell pepper. I’m probably wrong. But I think that bell pepper is causing a reaction, especially along with something…vinegar, maybe? Anyway…I’m annoyed. But apparently, I’m not alone.
By any chance, do your pasta salads have pine nuts in them? I love pine nuts, but sometimes I get a condition called “Pine Mouth” which sounds just like you describe - a bitter metallic taste that can last even a few days. It’s to the point I avoid pine nuts now. This is an interesting article about the phenomenon:
Certain foods alter your sense of taste. Artichoke, for example, tends to affect your perception of sweetness, as does miraculin. Mint contains menthol, which is well-known for its ability to induce or enhance a sensation of cold (which it does by messing with the ion channels in your cold receptors). However, it also temporarily affects your sense of taste. Have you ever chased a peppermint candy with a swig of Coke? Or eaten a grape after chewing spearmint gum? It’s my experience that it makes a few things taste better, but causes many others to take on a nasty, acrid flavor, and it seems to be strongest with food and drink that has an acidic element.
While some pasta salad recipes incorporate mint, I can’t say that mint is the culprit in your particular case. It might be something to look for, though. You could also try having a few bites of a neutral palate-cleanser between the salad and anything else; a few plain crackers or some bread may “reset” your tongue.
This recipe has the following note:
Not sure if this is the reason but I also have experienced this metallic taste.
Interesting. I’ve never noticed any aftertaste after eating pine nuts, though. I don’t think the pasta salad mentioned in the OP from my former workplace cafeteria had any pine nuts.
I think the pine nut reaction is only from pine that come from China, a different species from the Italian ones, or the southwest US ones.
I greatly dislike the taste of the citric acid used as a preservative in bottled artichoke hearts, hearts of palm, and other things. Maybe that is what is bothering people in their store-bought pasta salads?