Background Noise and Food Preferences
A recent study published in Food Quality and Preference looked at the effects of background noise on food preference. Forty eight adult volunteers were exposed to a variety of background white noise via headphones and different types of food simultaneously. The results indicated that the louder the white noise the less the volunteers could taste different flavors such as salty or sweet. The sense of crunchiness of a food increased with the increase in white noise. In addition, the researchers found that if the subjects enjoyed the type of music they listened to while eating they enjoyed the food more.
Makes me wonder what effects white noise and music has on children who have sensory issues with food or picky eaters?
Read more about white noise at a previous blog post: white noise and attention span
Reference: Woods et. al. Effect of background noise on food perception Food Quality and Preference doi:10.1016/j.foodqual.2010.07.003