When the shape of the glass influences the flavour associated with a coloured beverage: Evidence from consumers in three countries

We report a study designed to investigate the effect of the shape of the glass on colour–flavour associations in 300 participants from the UK, India, and South Korea. Participants viewed online photographs of red, green, yellow, blue, orange, and brown beverages presented in a water, wine, or cocktail glass, and indicated the first flavour or drink that came to mind from a list of 24 flavour options. The results revealed significant cross-cultural differences in terms of the flavour expectations that were elicited by viewing each of the coloured drinks. Furthermore, the crossmodal associations for the green, yellow, and orange drinks were also found to be influenced by the shape of the glass in which the drink was presented. These findings demonstrate how contextual factors (the shape and/or type of glass) can influence the crossmodal associations that exist between colour and flavour across different cultural backgrounds. Our results further highlight the importance of considering the appropriateness of the glassware in which a drink is presented (e.g., in advertising and in any images shown in product packaging).     

The association between the colour of a container and the liquid inside: An experimental study on consumers’ perception,expectations and choices regarding mineral water

Multisensory interactions have been shown to affect food and beverage perception. Here we investigated if the colour of a plastic cup can affect the perception and expectation of the mineral water that is served in it. In Experiment 1, the participants were required to evaluate freshness, pleasantness, level of carbonation, and lightness of 3 different kind of mineral water (natural, slightly carbonated and carbonated) using visual analogue scales. The water was served in white, red, and blue plastic cups. In Experiment 2, we investigated the participants’ expectations regarding the water served in the same coloured plastic cups without tasting the liquid. In Experiment 3, we investigated if the participants chose to drink a given kind of water when served in a plastic cup of a specific colour. The results of Experiment 1 showed that people perceived mineral water as more carbonated when contained in a red or blue plastic cup, than when contained in a white cup. In Experiment 2, the participants expected the sparkling water contained in a blue cup to be less carbonated than the same water contained in a red or white cup and the slightly carbonated water more carbonated when served in a white or red cup with respect to the blue cup. Moreover, people expected the water to be fresher when contained in a white cup than in a red cup. In Experiment 3, the participants preferentially chose a white plastic cup to taste still water and blue or red cup to taste slightly sparkling water. These results clearly demonstrate that people’s perceptions, expectations, and choices regarding mineral water are differently modulated by the colour of the container where the liquid is served. The present study has important implications not only for understanding the multisensory interactions affecting beverage perception, but also for marketing and packaging design purposes.     

Assessing the expectations associated with pharmaceutical pill colour and shape

Two experiments are reported in which people’s sensory, hedonic, and efficacy expectations associated with pharmaceutical pills of differing colour and shape were assessed. In Experiment 1, 101 participants from the USA viewed online photos of tablets having one of 7 colours and 3 shapes. The participants had to arrange the 21 tablets based on the expectations generated solely by the tablets’ visual properties. The results revealed that the colour of the tablets influenced expected bitterness, expected alertness, and expected efficiency in combating headaches, whereas the shape of the tablets influenced the expected difficulty of swallowing. In Experiment 2, the major findings of Experiment 1 were replicated while using a greater variety of colours, in 358 participants from China, Colombia, and the USA. Importantly, the results revealed some shared expectations across cultures, such as the high expected efficacy of white tablets in combating headaches, or the high expected difficulty of swallowing the diamond-shaped tablets. The results also revealed some differences among the three groups, such as that the colour of the pills influenced how difficult the Chinese participants (but not the other two groups) expected the pills would be to swallow. These findings clearly demonstrate that the differing colours and shapes of pharmaceutical pills set-up significantly different expectations which likely play an important role in terms of people’s subsequent experience.     

Influence of teaware on subjective ratings of,and taste expectations concerning,tea

Two studies were conducted in order to investigate the influence of teaware on consumers’ subjective ratings of, and taste expectations concerning, one of the world’s most popular beverages, namely tea. In Study 1, 100 Chinese participants and 100 participants from the USA viewed online photographs of Chinese brand and British brand green tea presented in either Chinese or British tea sets. The participants then rated their feelings about, taste expectations concerning, and willingness-to-pay for, each cup of tea. In Study 2, 65 Chinese participants also viewed these photos with either a high or low price label for each cup of tea. The results of both studies consistently revealed that the teaware influenced Chinese participants’ bitterness and astringency ratings concerning their tea expectations; whereas no such effects were found for the USA participants. Moreover, the teaware also influenced Chinese participants’ pleasantness ratings of tea when no price information was provided, but not when price information was presented. Collectively, these findings highlight the influence of the visual appearance of the receptacle on the subjective ratings of, and taste expectations concerning, tea. These results also compare the influence of product-extrinsic and contextual cues on consumers’ taste expectations.     

Influence of chewing gum packaging design on consumer expectation and willingness to buy. An analysis of functional, sensory and experience attributes

This paper studies the influence of two design variables of chewing gum packaging, those of colour and format, on consumer expectations of specific product attributes and willingness to buy. Some 390 consumers participated in this investigation, evaluating a total of 30 functional, sensory and experience attributes for nine different packaging designs. The results demonstrate that packaging format influences expectations of functional attributes, sensory attributes of texture and experience attributes, while colour influences expectations of sensory attributes of taste and flavour and experience attributes. The study also reveals that willingness to buy is more closely related to the colour of the packaging than to its format.     

Assessing the influence of the coffee cup on the multisensory tasting experience

This review summarizes the latest evidence concerning the impact of the colour, shape, texture, weight, and other material properties of the drinking receptacle on the perception of coffee. The colour of the cup, for instance, has been shown to prime notions of sweetness (e.g., pink cup) or acidity (e.g., yellow or green cup) that may carry over to influence the tasting experience. Meanwhile, the shape and surface feel of the drinking vessel have also been shown to exert a profound influence over the perceived aroma/taste of coffee. Given that the various sensory attributes of the drinking vessel can exert such a striking influence over the drinking experience, the challenge, moving forward, is to optimize the design of the receptacle in order to enhance the multisensory tasting experience for the consumer. Given that different styles/varieties of specialty coffee have different dominant/desirable qualities (e.g., acidity/sweetness), in the future, the design of coffee cups may need to be customized for different coffee drinking experiences (e.g., origin or roast), much as seen in the world of fine wine (with different glasses for different grape varieties).     

Use of hake (Merluccius merluccius) surimi in a Frankfurter formulation

The feasibility of using hake surimi as a partial replacement of red meat in Frankfurter-type sausages was examined. Sensory evaluation and objective instrumental methods were used to determine textural characteristics of the finished Frankfurters. Microbiological examinations were performed throughout the 20 days storage period. Surimi formulations containing 10% hake were little different in texture, flavour, colour and acceptability from conventional red meat products.     

Hedonic mediation of the crossmodal correspondence between taste and shape

Crossmodal correspondences between gustatory (taste), olfactory (smell), and flavour stimuli on the one hand and visual attributes on the other have been extensively documented in recent years. For instance, people have been shown to consistently match specific tastes and flavours to particular visual shapes. That said, further research is still needed in order to clarify how and why such correspondences exist. Here, we report a series of four experiments designed to assess what drives people’s matching of visual roundness/angularity to both ‘basic’ taste names and actual tastants. In Experiment 1, crossmodal correspondences between taste names and abstract shapes were assessed. Next, the results were replicated in a larger online study (Experiment 2). Experiment 3 assessed the role of liking in the association between taste words and morphed shapes along the roundness/angularity dimension. In Experiment 4, basic tastants were mapped to the roundness/angularity dimension, while the mediating role of liking for each taste was assessed. Across the 4 experiments, participants consistently matched sweetness to roundness. What is more, people’s liking for a taste (but not their liking for imagined tastes) appeared to influence their shape matching responses. These results are discussed in terms of crossmodal correspondences, and a potential role for hedonics is outlined.     

True colours: Advantages and challenges of virtual reality in a sensory science experiment on the influence of colour on flavour identification

The use of virtual reality (VR) in sensory science studies can offer new possibilities for experimental design. For instance, VR allows for the modification of visual product properties without changing the product composition. In a set of two augmented virtuality studies, we investigated whether the results we obtained in real-life (RL) settings were comparable to the results we obtained in a VR environment. In Study 1, we transferred an existing sensory science experiment to a VR setting. We invited 100 participants to taste two juices and a piece of cake. In the VR environment, participants saw the product either in its original colour or in a modified, product-atypical colour. After the product tasting, we asked them to identify the most dominant flavour. Participants had more difficulties identifying the flavour when the product was shown in a modified colour than when it was shown in its original colour. In Study 2, we added an RL control condition to facilitate a direct comparison between the two conditions and to verify our findings from Study 1. A chi-square test for association revealed no significant differences between the RL and VR conditions. We conclude that sensory studies can be successfully transferred to VR and obtain a generally similar pattern of results.     

Tasting atmospherics: Taste associations with colour parameters of coffee shop interiors

Coffee is one of the world’s most frequently consumed beverages, and coffee culture is an increasingly popular phenomenon across the world. Atmospheric elements are especially important for the design of coffee shops. However, it is still unclear how the visual atmospherics (e.g., colour scheme, lightness) of coffee shop interiors influence the consumer’s evaluations of coffee shops and their expectations concerning the coffee beverages they serve. The present research was designed to understand the role of one aspect of the visual atmosphere, namely the colour parameters of the interiors of coffee shop, on the consumer evaluation of the coffee shops themselves and on the expected sensory properties of the coffees served there. Ratings of taste expectations, likelihood of visiting, and emotions were evaluated for each of 50 coffee shop images and averaged across 65 participants. The color parameters (L*, a*, b*, saturation) of the coffee shop interior were calculated using digital image analysis. The results demonstrate that more reddish and lighter coloured coffee shop images were associated with the expectation that the coffee shop would serve a sweeter coffee, while more greenish and darker coloured coffee shop images were associated with more sour/bitter/tastier coffee expectations as well as a higher likelihood of visiting. Moreover, emotions, specifically feelings of calmness, mediated the relation between color parameters and taste expectations/likelihood of visiting. Taken together, these results provide evidence on the role of visual atmospherics of coffee shops on consumer evaluations and provide a number of practical implications for the coffee outlets/cafes.     

Evaluation of Asian salted noodles in the presence of Amaranthus betacyanin pigments

The effect of betacyanin pigments from Amaranthus tricolor on the functional properties and colour of wheat flour in relation to the quality of Asian salted noodles was studied. Addition of Amaranthus pigments significantly decreased the viscosity of wheat flour pastes as well as hardness and adhesiveness of the gels. Low levels of Amaranthus pigments (0.1% and 0.5%) imparted a more pink shade to flour gels, dried raw noodles, and cooked noodles, whereas higher levels (1.0% and 2.0%) gave a more red shade with decreased brightness. Pigment addition at low levels had no significant effect on the cooking and textural properties of noodles, whereas high level (2.0%) did have a significant influence. Several RVA and textural parameters of wheat flour pastes and gels were highly correlated to quality of cooked noodles and may be used in predicting actual noodle quality in the presence of Amaranthus pigments.     

Sensory evaluation of new lines of oca (Oxalis tuberosa) grown in New Zealand

Five new and one local cultivar of oca or New Zealand yam (Oxalis tuberosa) were evaluated by a consumer-type panel for appearance, flesh colour, flavour, texture and overall acceptability of raw, steamed and baked tubers. The intensity, ‘just right’ or liking scores were analysed using the proportional odds model. Skin and flesh colour of tubers were also measured objectively using a colorimeter. For raw oca, panellists preferred bright red tubers, but size was also important. Flesh colour, bitterness and mealiness were important variables which described the overall acceptability of steamed oca, while only flesh colour and bitterness were important variables for baked oca. Cultivars which had flesh colour described as ‘bright yellow’, flavour as ‘no bitter taste’, and a ‘very slightly mealy’ texture were more preferred. Cultivars with higher yellow/blue (b¹) and chroma (c¹) values for cooked tuber skin and flesh colours were more acceptable.     

Liver paté enriched with dietary fibre extracted from potato fibre as fat substitutes

This experiment included studies of the functionality of three new enzymatically extracted fibres as ingredients in pig liver paté prepared using reduced amounts of pig fat with dry potato pulp and a commercial potato fibre (Potex) as references. The measured quality characteristics included colour, flavour, and texture profile analysis. Dry potato pulp, Potex and two of the new enzymically extracted fibre 1 and 2 with high contents of cellulose and lignin resulted in very hard patties with a high level of deformation energy, gumminess, and modulus that had a detrimental effect on paté texture and flavour. The enzymatically extracted fibre 3 with a low content of cellulose and lignin and a high content of soluble non-starch polysaccharides (SNSP) resulted in patties with a very delicious texture and flavour and values of the measured texture characteristics determined by texture profile analysis. The colour of the patties processed using the enzymatically extracted fibre 3 were darker, more red and less yellow compared to patties processed using Potex, dry potato pulp and new fibre 1 and 2. Baking loss that varied from 9.2 to 11.3 g/100 g was the lowest for patties processed using the new extracted fibre 3. The content of total dietary plant fibre in liver patties varied from 4.0 to 6.2 g/100 g paté.     

Cup colour influences consumers’ expectations and experience on tasting specialty coffee

The present study was designed to investigate the effect of the colour of the cup on sensory and hedonic judgments of specialty coffee by consumers. Altogether, 457 participants took part in one of three experiments. Crossmodal correspondences between the colour of the cup (i.e., an extrinsic cue) and the taste profile of the coffee served (i.e., the contents) were manipulated. Congruent and incongruent colour × taste pairings were created by using four cup colours (white, pink, yellow, and green) and two coffee profiles (sweet Brazilian and acidic Kenyan) to assess whether these manipulations would affect pre-and/or post-tasting ratings. Participants first rated their expectations of sweetness and acidity, and subsequently, their experience of those attributes on tasting the coffees, as well as rating their liking. The results revealed that the colour of the cup exerted a significant influence on both pre- and post-tasting ratings for all attributes measured. Liking ratings significantly decreased in incongruent pairing conditions – which also increased the unexpected acidity of the Kenyan coffee when tasted from the pink cup. Taken together, these results demonstrate for the first time that the colour of the cup significantly impacts sensory and hedonic judgements of specialty coffee. Our results also show that the contrast between expected and actual experience can result in a negative hedonic response and the enhancement of the unexpected sensory attribute. Implications for the development of coffee cups that can enhance the drinking experience are highlighted.     

Learned color taste associations in a repeated brief exposure paradigm

Individuals can learn to associate tastes with odors through repeated exposure. We adapted this paradigm, testing whether individuals can learn to associate tastes with colors, and whether these learned color-taste associations generalize to unconditioned, but qualitatively similar stimuli. Experiment 1 tested if individuals could learn color-taste associations for prototypical tastes, while Experiment 2 tested if individuals could learn to discriminate specific bitter compounds using color-taste associations. Conditioned stimuli in Experiment 1 consisted of solutions representing four different prototypical taste qualities. Conditioned stimuli in Experiment 2 consisted of three different bitter stimuli and a sucrose control. Both experiments consisted of six laboratory visits. On day 1, participants rated intensities of conditioned and unconditioned stimuli. On days 2–5 participants completed triangle tests, where a color was systematically paired with high/low intensity combinations of the conditioned stimuli. On day 6, participants matched colorless solutions containing the conditioned and unconditioned stimuli to one of four colors in a forced choice task. In Experiment 1, group performance was significantly above chance (25%) when matching the conditioned taste stimulus to the previously paired color. Also, learning generalized to unconditioned stimuli with a similar taste quality. In Experiment 2, group performance versus chance (25%) indicated participants learned associated sweetness with the previously paired color, both for sucrose (conditioned stimulus) and aspartame (unconditioned stimulus). However, matching performance did not exceed chance for the three different bitterants. These data suggest that particular color-taste associations can be learned with repeated exposure, even when the exposure period is relatively brief.     

The effects of acetylated potato starch and sodium carboxymethyl cellulose on the quality of instant fried noodles

The objective of this study has been to investigate the effects of two ingredients i) acetylated potato starch (APS) and ii) sodium carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) on the textural attributes and eating quality of instant noodles. Using low-protein soft wheat flour (Australian Soft) as the base material, samples of noodles incorporating varying proportions of APS and CMC were evaluated for product texture, colour and fat uptake. The variables were studied using a central composite design and textural characteristics were assessed using the TA-XT2, colour by the Minolta Chroma Meter. The results were analyzed by response surface methodology and showed that the two variables enhance the hardness and reduce adhesive values of cooked instant noodles. Electron microscopy also demonstrated the development of a more continuous network structure within the noodles. The addition of CMC had weakened the noodle inner structure and reduced the cohesiveness values of the cooked instant noodles. In contrast, APS provides hardness but does not affect cohesiveness. Marginal observable difference was found in product colour for the various treatment combinations, with a slightly dull appearance, viz less white and less yellow compared with the control. Trials to produce the lowest fat uptake rating indicated that 10% APS was optimal. The results may provide a basis for modifying formulations for use with low-protein soft wheat flours to provide eating quality and colour attributes to meet the preferences of specific customer groups. The conclusion of this study is that the combined use of APS and CMC primarily affects the textural attributes of hardness and adhesiveness rather than the other quality parameters of instant noodle that have been assessed. In addition, APS has the potential to enhance the performance of low-protein soft wheat flours for instant noodle manufacture.     

Haptic exploration of plateware alters the perceived texture and taste of food

We report two naturalistic citizen science experiments designed to highlight the influence of the texture of plateware on people’s rating of the mouthfeel and taste of food (specifically, biscuits) sampled from that plateware. In the first experiment, participants tasted a biscuit from a pair of plates, one having a rough and the other a smooth finish. In the second experiment, participants tasted biscuits and jelly babies; participants rated the mouthfeel and taste of the two foodstuffs. The results both confirm and extend previous findings suggesting that haptically and visually perceived texture can influence both oral-somatosensory judgments of texture as well as, in this case, the reported taste or flavour of the food itself. The crossmodal effects reported here are explained in terms of the notion of sensation transference. These results have potentially important implications for everything from the design of the tactile aspects of packaging through to the design of serviceware in the setting of the restaurant.     

Mechanism of colour change of carambola puree by high pressure processing and its effect on flavour and physicochemical properties

The study aimed to investigate the mechanism of the colour change of carambola puree by high pressure processing (HPP), and the effects on its flavour, antioxidant properties and other physicochemical properties. The results showed that the colour change of carambola puree after HPP (200, 400, 600 and 800 MPa, for 15 min at 25 °C) was caused by both the enzymatic browning inhibition and the β-carotene release promotion. The physical and chemical properties also varied after HPP treatment, in which the potential of hydrogen (pH) value and the total soluble solids decreased with the pressure. With the increase of pressure, the content of total phenols and flavonoids increased to a certain extent, and the antioxidant activity also increased. HPP could destroy the cell structure and form microscopic pores in the tissue, which might cause changes in physical and chemical properties. Compared with untreated samples, HPP could improve the characteristic flavour and quality of the sample itself, and it has a great application prospect in the production of carambola puree.     

How neutral coloured backgrounds affect the attractiveness and expensiveness of fresh produce

The colour of the background on which products are presented may affect their perceived attractiveness. In order to find out on which type of background various fresh food products look most attractive, we presented five different vegetables (tomato, carrot, yellow bell pepper, eggplant, mushroom) on five different backgrounds with neutral grey colours varying in degree of blackness: 5, 30, 50, 65, and 90%. Forty-six participants provided colour matches for the vegetables and evaluated them on 10 attributes.Overall, the blackness of the backgrounds had little or no effect on the perceived colour of the vegetable. Only for carrots we found a small but significant difference, mainly between the 5% and 90% blackness backgrounds. On the darkest background, the carrot would be perceived as a bit lighter, more saturated, and more yellow rather than red, compared to the lightest background.Differences in perceived attractiveness on the grey backgrounds varied between 0.3 and 1.0 units on a 9-point scale. Attractiveness and expensiveness ratings for most vegetables were highest on the 90% blackness background. In comparison to our previous study where we presented vegetables on hued backgrounds, differences between mean attractiveness ratings were smaller. Because mean attractiveness ratings in the current study were higher, we expect that grey backgrounds are more likely to present vegetable assortments with a variety of hues in an attractive way than hued backgrounds.