Cross-modal tactile–taste interactions in food evaluations

Abstract

Detecting the taste components within a flavoured substance relies on exposing chemoreceptors within the mouth to the chemical components of ingested food. In our paper, we show that the evaluation of taste components can also be influenced by the tactile quality of the food. We first discuss how multisensory factors might influence taste, flavour and smell for both typical and atypical (synaesthetic) populations and we then present two empirical studies showing tactile-taste interactions in the general population. We asked a group of average adults to evaluate the taste components of flavoured food substances, whilst we presented simultaneous cross-sensory visuotactile cues within the eating environment. Specifically, we presented foodstuffs between subjects that were otherwise identical but had a rough versus smooth surface, or were served on a rough versus smooth serving-plate. We found no effect of the serving-plate, but we found the rough/ smoothness of the foodstuff itself significantly influenced perception: food was rated as significantly more sour if it had a rough (vs. smooth) surface. In modifying taste perception via ostensibly unrelated dimensions, we demonstrate that the detection of tastes within flavours may be influenced by higher level cross-sensory cues. Finally, we suggest that the direction of our cross-sensory associations may speak to the types of hedonic mapping found both in normal multisensory integration, and in the unusual condition of synaesthesia.

Oral health–related food selectivity among French independently living elders

“…In the same time, there was no significant difference between participants with no healthy supporting tissues or with simple gingivitis and participants with periodontitis neither for dislike‐related food selectivity ( F = 3.56, P = .062) nor for oral discomfort–related food selectivity ( P = .165, chi 2 = 1.92). Tactile sensations mediated by mucosal and periodontal mechanoreceptors may indeed influence food perception . Simple gingivitis may, however, not always generate pain although it negatively correlates with comfort .…”

“…Tactile sensations mediated by mucosal and periodontal mechanoreceptors may indeed influence food perception. 81 Simple gingivitis may, however, not always generate pain although it negatively correlates with comfort. 82 A wide variety of bacteria (including P Gingivalis and A Actinomycetemcomitens), bacterial wall components (including the lipopolysaccharide or lipoteichoic acid), leucotoxins or inorganic metabolites related to periodontal disease may also evoke sensation ranging from uncomfort to pain within periodontal tissues, 83 suggesting that the potential clinical influence of periodontal status on oral sensory experience while eating.…”

The third dimension of flavor: A chemesthetic approach to healthier eating (a review)

“…However, in the absence of one or the other, odors can evoke a taste perception in the absence of a tastant, but a taste cannot evoke an odor perception in the absence of an odorant (Niimi et al, ; Thomas‐Danguin, Sinding, Tournier, & Saint‐Eve, ). Phenomena similar to odor‐induced taste enhancement occur with other senses as well; for example, flavor perception can be affected by the color or texture of the food or drink or the music playing in the background during consumption (Auvray & Spence, ; Slocombe, Carmichael, & Simner, ; Spence, ; Spence, Levitan, Shankar, & Zampini, ; Wang, Keller, & Spence, ). If a taste–odor pair is not congruent, enhancement is absent, and the incongruent odor may even suppress taste perception; however, only a single taste–odor exposure is required to form the learned enhancement (Prescott, Johnstone, & Francis, ; Stevenson et al, ).…”

Multisensory Technology for Flavor Augmentation: A Mini Review

“…What we feel/touch can also influence the perception of flavor while eating and drinking (e.g., Krishna and Morrin, 2008; Biggs et al, 2016; Slocombe et al, 2016). Researchers have demonstrated that elements such as the weight, size, shape of cutlery and tableware can influence flavor expectations and perception (Spence, 2017; van Rompay et al, 2017).…”