Tasting names: Systematic investigations of taste-speech sounds associations

Product names can be developed to effectively convey specific sensory attributes to the consumer. Most of the previous research on crossmodal correspondences has shown that people selectively associate words (e.g., ‘Maluma’, ‘Takete’) with taste attributes. To provide practical insights for naming new products in the food industry, it is important to obtain a more nuanced understanding concerning those properties of speech sounds (i.e., vowels, consonants) influencing people’s taste expectations. In this study, we investigated taste-speech sound correspondences by systematically manipulating the vowels and consonants comprising fictitious brand names. Based on the literature on crossmodal correspondences and sound symbolism, we investigated which vowels/consonants contribute more to the association between speech sounds and tastes (sweet/sour/salty/bitter). Across three experiments, we systematically varied vowels (front: [i][e], back: [a][u][o]), and affricate consonants (e.g., fricative: [f][s], stop: [p][t]) as well as voiced/voiceless consonants (e.g., voiced: [b][d], voiceless: [f][k]). Japanese participants were presented with brand names and had to evaluate the taste that they expected the product to have. The results revealed that: (1) front (back) vowels increased expected sweetness (bitterness), (2) fricative (stop) consonants increased expected sweetness (saltiness/bitterness), (3) voiceless (voiced) consonants increased expected sweetness/sourness (saltiness/bitterness). Moreover, consonants, which were pronounced first in the brand names, exerted a greater influence on expected taste than did the vowels. Taken together, these findings help advance theoretical foundations in sound-taste correspondences research as well as provide practical contributions to the food practitioners to develop predictive product names.     

A sound brand name: The role of voiced consonants in pharmaceutical branding

Given the worldwide growth of the over-the-counter (OTC) drug market and the increase in the direct-to-consumer advertising of medicines, pharmaceutical branding has become an increasingly important component affecting the consumer’s beliefs about, and hence their responses towards, OTC medicines. The brand name is one of the most important external cues for brand evaluation and influences various aspects of consumer-brand association (e.g., perceived quality/efficacy, brand attitude, and brand image). Although sound symbolism, which refers to the non-arbitrary association that exists between particular sound sequences and specific meanings in speech, has proven to be an effective means of creating successful brand names in a wide range of products, surprisingly little attention has been paid to its application in the case of pharmaceutical branding. In this study, we systematically investigated whether and how consonants in drug brand names influence consumers’ medicine expectancies (e.g., medicinal power, long-lasting efficacy). Across three experiments, a robust effect of voiced (vs. voiceless) consonants present in brand names on the perceived potency and activity for target medicines was found. In addition, the results also revealed that voiced (vs. voiceless) consonants increase the expectancies of medicine effectiveness, duration of medicine activity, price, and potential side effects. Furthermore, we found that the perceived potency and activity for brand names significantly mediated the effect of voiced consonants. Taken together, these findings enhance our understanding of the role of consonant sound symbolism in brand name development and can potentially help pharmaceutical firms to create appropriate brand names that can effectively communicate information concerning a medicine’s properties.     

Sounds sweet,sounds bitter: How the presence of certain sounds in a brand name can alter expectations about the product’s taste

This paper examines how certain speech sounds within a brand name can alter expectations about the product’s taste. Across two studies we demonstrate that the presence of voiced (b, d, g, z & v) vs. voiceless (p, t, k, s & f) obstruents (speech sounds produced when airflow is obstructed in the oral cavity) in a chocolate’s brand name can alter its expected taste as bitter vs. sweet. We propose this is because voiced obstruents are typically of low frequency (frequency code hypothesis), contain harsh acoustic qualities and evoke negativity (due to aerodynamic difficulties in their pronunciation). In a third study, we extend these findings to show, using the Brand Personality Scale (BPS), that the presence of voiced (vs. voiceless) obstruents makes brand names' sound more masculine, rugged and tough and less honest, charming, glamorous, wholesome, cheerful and sentimental. Research linking consonant sound symbolism (specifically voiced obstruents) and product attributes is sparse. Most research in this field links vowels withproduct attributes, sounds with shapes and music (or musical notes) with taste attributes. We contribute by extending these findings to voicing (and associated harshness) and the sweet-bitter continuum of the expected taste.     

Searching for the sound of premium beer

One common definition of premiumness is as a higher quality and more expensive variant of a product than other members of the category or reference class. Premiumness can effectively be conveyed by means of different sensory cues (e.g., colours, sounds, weight). However, to date, research linking the sound of a product’s packaging with premiumness is sparse. In the present study, we demonstrate for the first time that consumers associate different levels of beer premiumness with the sounds of opening and pouring of bottles and cans. We report the results of two online experiments. Experiment 1 explored the effect of two sound properties associated with beer can and bottle opening and pouring (sound pressure and frequency) on the perception of premiumness. Experiment 2 used semantic differential scales (e.g., bad-good, passive-active) to evaluate the meanings people tend to associate with different auditory cues. The analyses revealed that participants perceived: 1) bottle sounds to be more premium overall than can sounds, 2) pouring sounds as more premium than opening sounds, and 3) higher pressure sounds as more premium than lower pressure sounds. Additionally, premiumness was positively correlated with semantic differentials of dead-alive, and the evaluative terms of sad-happy, awful-nice, and bad-good, which highlights the perceived quality and premium character of a beer when conveyed auditorily.     

Sonic food words influence the experience of beverage healthfulness

The consumption of healthful foods is relevant for the well-being of society. However, understanding healthfulness may be difficult because, in some cultures (i.e., the U.S.), individuals assume that unhealthy equals tasty, an association that does not hold in other contexts (i.e., France). Auditory cues could serve to inform consumers about the expected experience with food and thus could signal the sensory experience of a healthy product. This research contributes to the literature on the use of sound symbolism for analysis of the influence of onomatopoeias as packaging information that influences the expected healthfulness of a bottled drink. The study is a 4 × 4 mixed-model experiment. Grouping was done according to onomatopoeia variables as follows: “Fizz,” “Glup,” “Ahhh,” and control. Beverage color, a within-subject variable, was grouped as green, yellow, red, and control. Results show that the healthful concept is defined in two dimensions: fulfilling and light. Onomatopoeias motivated the experience of a less fulfilling beverage, which had the strongest effect on “Fizz” condition. For the light dimension, “Ahhh” diminishes the perception of light, thus creating the idea that the drink is high in calories. This study reaches out to food industries on the need to find the most consistent and pleasurable sound associated with their products. This will enable food industries to provide information to consumers as well as ascertain how much they enjoy the product.     

保健食品中非法添加药物的检测现状及筛查策略研究

目的为保健食品中非法添加药物的发现提供筛查策略和方法,以弥补现有检测方法的不足。方法首先针对可以实现或者辅助实现保健食品声称功能的药物建立了对应的信息库,对其主要临床功效和副作用进行了信息汇总。其次通过质谱单离子扫描和子离子扫描,建立上述物质的质谱筛查信息。同时按照不同能量水平,建立不同信号强度的质量信息库。进而作为主体信号,建立液相质谱多反应检测的方法,及其液质联用采集信息,并选择了不同剂型、不同基体的保健食品作为基质,建立了阴性、添加阳性的数据信息库。形成了治疗信息、分析检测信号及确证信息为线索的筛查体系和方式。结果以缓解体力疲劳类药物为例,通过对近百批相关保健食品进行筛查,可见阳性结果发现率较一般方法提高了100%,而对于未知物质的发现提高了300%,验证了以信息依赖型为筛查主线的方法策略。结论信息依赖型保健食品非法添加药物筛查为保健食品中非法添加药物的发现提供了新的途径。     

Ultraprocessed plant-based foods: Designing the next generation of healthy and sustainable alternatives to animal-based foods

Numerous examples of next-generation plant-based foods, such as meat, seafood, egg, and dairy analogs, are commercially available. These products are usually designed to have physicochemical properties, sensory attributes, and functional behaviors that match those of the animal-sourced products they are designed to replace. However, there has been concern about the potential negative impacts of these foods on human nutrition and health. In particular, many of these products have been criticized for being ultraprocessed foods that contain numerous ingredients and are manufactured using harsh processing operations. In this article, the concept of ultraprocessed foods is introduced and its relevance to describe the properties of next-generation plant-based foods is discussed. Most commercial plant-based meat, seafood, egg, and dairy analogs currently available do fall into this category, and so can be classified as ultraprocessed plant-based (UPB) foods. The nutrient content, digestibility, bioavailability, and gut microbiome effects of UPB foods are compared to those of animal-based foods, and the potential consequences of any differences on human health are discussed. Some commercial UPB foods would not be considered healthy based on their nutrient profiles, especially those plant-based cheeses that contain low levels of protein and high levels of fat, starch, and salt. However, it is argued that UPB foods can be designed to have good nutritional profiles and beneficial health effects. Finally, areas where further research are still needed to create a more healthy and sustainable food supply are discussed.     

液相色谱-质谱法测定保健食品中的三价铬及六价铬含量

目的建立液相色谱-质谱法测定保健食品中总铬、三价铬及六价铬含量的分析方法,并与原子吸收法的检测结果进行比较。方法利用液相色谱-质谱法测定提取和氧化反应前后样品溶液中六价铬,分别计算总铬、三价铬和六价铬的量。结果 8批样品(3批胶囊,5批片剂)测定六价铬和总铬含量分别为188.7~257.8mg/kg和189.1~257.4 mg/kg。该方法可以实现保健食品中总铬、三价铬和六价铬的测定,六价铬的方法检出限为0.03 mg/kg,RSD=3.72%(n=5),定量限为1.0 mg/kg,RSD=3.07%(n=5)。结论该方法简便易行,与原子吸收法测定总铬的结果一致,可用于保健食品中铬及其形态的测定。     

Oral processing behavior and dynamic sensory perception of composite foods: Toppings assist saliva in bolus formation

Composite foods consist of combinations of single foods, such as bread with toppings. Single foods can differ considerably in their mechanical and sensory properties. This study aimed to investigate the effect of toppings on oral processing behavior and dynamic sensory perception of carrier foods when consumed as composite foods. Two carriers (bread, crackers) and three toppings (firm cheese, cheese spread, mayonnaise) were selected and six carrier-topping combinations were prepared. Mastication behavior, bolus properties (33, 66 and 100% of total mastication time) and dynamic sensory perception were determined for single carriers and all carrier-topping combinations. Both carriers with cheese spread and mayonnaise were chewed shorter and with fewer chews than single bread and crackers, although twice the mass of food was consumed. These toppings contributed to a faster bolus formation by providing moisture, so that less saliva was incorporated into the bolus during mastication. As a result of the moisture incorporation, carrier boli with toppings were softened and perceived less firm and less dry than carrier boli alone. The largest effects of toppings on oral processing behavior and perception were found for liquid-like mayonnaise, and these effects were more pronounced in dry crackers than in moist bread. We conclude that toppings assist saliva in bolus formation of carriers. Carriers drive oral processing behavior and texture perception whereas toppings drive overall flavor perception. This knowledge contributes to food design tailored for specific consumer segments and future personalized nutrition.     

A bittersweet symphony: Systematically modulating the taste of food by changing the sonic properties of the soundtrack playing in the background

We report an experiment designed to investigate the consequences of manipulating the pitch of the background auditory stimulation on the taste of food. The participants in the present study evaluated four pieces of cinder toffee while listening to two auditory soundtracks, presented in a random order. One soundtrack was designed to be more crossmodally (or “synaesthetically”) congruent with a bitter-tasting food whereas the other soundtrack was designed to be more congruent with a sweet-tasting food instead. The participants rated each sample using three computer based line scales: One scale was anchored with the words bitter and sweet. The second scale required participants to localize the taste/flavour percept elicited by the food (at the front vs. back of their mouth). The third scale involved participants giving a hedonic evaluation of the foodstuff. As expected, the cinder toffee samples tasted while listening to the presumptively ‘bitter’ soundtrack were rated as tasting significantly more bitter than when exactly the same foodstuff was evaluated while listening to the ‘sweet’ soundtrack instead. These results provide the first convincing empirical demonstration that the crossmodal congruency of a background soundtrack can be used to modify the taste (and presumably also flavour) of a foodstuff.     

Drivers of plant-based convenience foods consumption: Results of a multicomponent extension of the theory of planned behaviour

Current lifestyles always pose increasing time pressure that can result in unhealthy diets. Our study addresses the role that high-quality plant-based convenience foods can play in promoting healthier consumptions. While convenience foods are in fact often associated with poor nutritional values, the spread of healthy convenience foods could respond to the needs of new lifestyles and promote better food choices. The study is based on a multicomponent model of the Theory of Planned Behaviour that has made it possible to verify how control factors such as cooking skills, product availability, budget, time pressure, and interest in healthy eating can affect the consumption of precooked plant-based foods. The results of Structural Equation Models applied to a sample representative of the Italian population (600 individuals) highlight the presence of a consistent group of consumers (almost 70%) that consider plant-based convenience foods as a useful means to improve their diet. For this cluster, the control factors that significantly influence behaviour are market availability, interest in healthy eating, and time pressure. The advancements in knowledge that this research produces are translated into guidelines for producers, retailers, and policy makers that, in synergy, might encourage consumers to replace unhealthy foods with healthy ones.     

Effects of the sound of the bite on apple perceived crispness and hardness

The effects of the manipulation of the sound produced while biting into apple samples, a non-dry food, was investigated. In Experiment 1, participants rated the perceived crispness of flesh cylinders obtained from three apple cultivars differing in their texture profile: ‘Renetta’ (white ‘Renetta Canada’), ‘Golden’ (‘Golden Delicious’), and ‘Fuji’. Participants might hear the veridical sounds they made when biting into an apple cylinder without any frequency adjustment (0 dB filter) or with high frequencies attenuated (either by −12 dB or by −24 dB). Perceived crispness was significantly lower when any of the reductions were applied than when no filter (0 dB) was used. In Experiment 2, new participants rated both crispness and hardness of ‘Renetta’ and ‘Fuji’ cylinders. The sound of the bite could be unfiltered (0 dB), reduced in its high frequencies (−24 dB), or globally reduced (the microphone was switched off). Crispness, again, was perceived as significantly lower with any of the sound reductions. Interestingly, perceived hardness was significantly affected by the sound information as well: Hardness was rated as being significantly lower when a global sound reduction was applied than when the sound was unfiltered. We demonstrated, for the first time, that sound information plays an important role even for the evaluation of hardness, a property believed to be primarily oral/mechanical.     

GM food and neophobia: connecting with the gatekeepers of consumer choice

Resistance to importation of genetically modified (GM) foods in rich countries has deterred governments in many food‐exporting countries from approving the planting of GM food crops for fear of damaging export markets for conventional food. Apart from governments that have actively imposed barriers to entry, another level of resistance can arise from food distribution channel members deciding not to import foods which they believe consumers in their markets will not want. GM foods fall in this category in some markets, particularly in Europe. In China and India, the two most populous consumer markets, pragmatic considerations appear likely to overcome neophobia regarding this technology, provided that benefits are adequately communicated to consumers. Choice‐modelling experiments show that the same may well be true in Europe. Copyright © 2008 Society of Chemical Industry     

浅析我国保健食品现存问题

本文分析了我国保健食品的现状及存在的问题,提出了初步的对策与建议。     

食品中痕量丙烯酰胺检测方法研究进展

丙烯酰胺广泛存在于各类加工食品中,特别是高温加工淀粉类食品、早餐谷类食品或咖啡及其制品等。但是,由于其具有神经和生殖毒性,已被国际肿瘤机构列为2A类致癌物。因此,加强对食品中丙烯酰胺的检测,特别是在食品加工生产线上进行现场或在线监测十分必要。本文主要介绍了目前用于丙烯酰胺按检测的各种方法,主要包括实验室常规检测方法如气相色谱、液相色谱及毛细管电泳,以及有望进行现场或在线监测的检测方法如生物传感器法和免疫分析法等,并对各种方法的优缺点进行评述。      

超声波技术在发酵食品领域的应用

发酵是一种古老的技术,主要用于保存易腐烂的食物。而发酵食品通常比原材料具有更多优点,例如安全、更加稳定,并具有独特的感官和营养属性以及治疗特性。目前发酵食品在食品市场中占据重要地位(产品占有率约80%以上)。随着生物工程技术的进步,发酵食品领域也在同步快速增长和创新。超声波作为一种新兴的非热食品加工技术,可以通过其对发酵剂、食品基质和两者之间相互作用的影响,用于提高发酵过程的效率,并改善发酵食品的感官和功能特性。因此,本文综述了超声波作为一种加工或分析技术在食品发酵中的众多应用,总结了其对发酵产品功能特性的影响,以期为后续研究提供参考。     

高效液相色谱-电感耦合等离子体质谱法测定保健食品类袋泡茶中5种砷形态

目的采用高效液相色谱-电感耦合等离子体质谱(HPLC-ICP/MS)联用技术建立保健食品类袋泡茶浸泡液中亚砷酸根[As(Ⅲ)]、砷酸根[As(Ⅴ)]、一甲基砷酸(MMA)、二甲基砷酸(DMA)和砷甜菜碱(AsB)5种砷形态的分析方法。方法样品经热浸提后,采用Dionex IonPac AS19(4 mm×250 mm,10μm)阴离子交换柱,30 mmol/L碳酸铵(pH=9.5)为流动相等度洗脱,10 min内进行5种砷形态的分析测定。结果 5种砷形态的浓度在0.2～300μg/L范围内线性良好,相关系数(r)均0.999,检出限为0.04～0.08μg/L,采用精密度考察方法重复性,相对标准偏差(RSD)均5%,加标回收率在80.3%～121.1%之间。结论本方法适用于保健食品类袋泡茶浸泡液中砷形态的测定,试验表明保健食品类袋泡茶中砷形态主要以As(Ⅲ)和As(Ⅴ)为主,应关注其无机砷的风险性。     

鱼腥草蜂蜜保健液的研制

以鲜鱼腥草为原料，经清洗、破碎、烫漂、压榨、过滤制得鱼腥草汁液，杀菌后将其与槐花蜂蜜、蔗糖、柠檬酸、Vc、香精进行调配，调配液经过滤、灌装、杀菌得调和保健液。实验结果表明：最佳调和比例为鲜鱼腥草汁80％，蜂蜜7％，蔗糖10％．柠檬酸0．2％，Vc0．1％，香精适量。该保健液色泽淡黄，透明无沉淀，酸甜可口，带有鱼腥草风味。     

代谢组学在个性化功能性食品研究中的应用

现代营养学最大的挑战之一就是为全球人类提供健康的饮食,它必须顾及到因复杂的基因、营养和环境相互作用而引起的个体间高度差异性。虽然目前健康饮食方面出现了大量的功能性食品,但是一刀切的方法在营养学上是不合适的,有必要使用新的个性化功能食品。且哺乳动物的生物复杂性要求人们必须将系统生物学的方法纳入营养学研究。本文对代谢组学在筛选食品中的新功能成分、协助饮食干预研究、了解膳食与机体代谢之间相互作用和营养流行病学调查方面的应用进行综述,以期为个性化功能性食品开发提供新的思路和方法,为预防疾病和保障人类健康做出更大的贡献。