Acute sounds and sweet flavours, deep sounds and bitter flavours

Acute sounds and sweet flavours, deep sounds and bitter flavours

 

Studies at the University of Oxford certify what we all suspected: sounds change the perception of taste. A lot, they are telling us that it’s something like 5-10%

by Donatella Cinelli Colombini
Charles Spence, professor in experimental psychology at the Oxford University, in a recent interview on British radio, explained the effects of sounds on ones perception of tastes. We all suspected that Brunello  seemed nicer if tasted while listening to Bach ….but now there is some scientific evidence. << Taste is probably the most multisensory of experiences>> said Spence << all the senses are used at simultaneously>>. Sounds, in his opinion, have an effect of about 5-10% on the perception we have of what we taste. This future study has been called <<synesthetic sounds>> and will research how certain sounds increase the pleasure of certain foods or how they combine with the food experience <<such as eating fish on the beach>>.
Charles Spence guides a laboratory, in the University of Oxford, where they study how people perceive the world around them. Specifically Spence studies the cognitive processes  which depend on sight, hearing, taste, smell and touch trying to understand how all the senses interact.  The results of his studies are revolutionary. Here are the titles of some of his last article among the 500 he has published in 15 years activity.  <<When the shape of the glassinfluences the flavour

associated with a coloured beverage: Evidence from consumers in three countries>> <<The skin as a Medium for sensory substitution>>.He isconsequently  not a charlaton, combanies such a Toyota, call upon him to better thrir products an thri comunication.

And here are the first indications regarding the rapport sound-taste: listen to deep sounds such as ”Nessun Dorma” sung by Pavarotti <<it reduces the perceptions of the bitter tastes in food such as dark chocolate, or coffee tasting desserts>>,on the contrary the acute sounds enhance sweet tastes.