Tuesday 3 June 2008

Sounds and colour influence the taste of food

Sounds and colour influence the taste of food: "Previously it was thought that the sense of taste and smell were the only human senses that played a role in experiencing flavour. Professor Charles Spence, a sensory psychologist at Oxford University, believes it is possible to change the flavour of food simply by exciting people's sense of hearing and vision.

He has found that by tinkering with the sound a food makes while it is being eaten can make it seem crunchier or softer in the mouth.

Playing sounds of the seaside while diners are eating can make them detect seafood flavours while the sound of clucking chickens or sizzling bacon brings out the taste of eggs or bacon."

this should be good news for those musicians who make their living playing to dinnertime audiences, maybe even a sales-point they can use to up their fees (providing they become skilled at gastronomic tone science)

Psychologists, on the other hand, have already swarmed in to capitalize on the new research as "companies are now employing neuroscientists to help them develop new tricks for altering the flavour of their products" ... tho I notice no mention of them making better food, and then apply their Art to make it seem more appealing.

"Eat your beets, dear."