Taste buds are located on the TONGUE, which is a muscular organ in the mouth that helps with the sense of taste. The TONGUE is covered with small bumps called papillae, which contain the taste buds. Taste buds are responsible for detecting sweet, sour, salty, and bitter flavors. They are also responsible for helping us to distinguish between different flavors. The placement of taste buds on the TONGUE helps us to identify the different tastes of food.