As a millennium, I enjoy depicting my meals and baked goods on Instagram, a social media website. After posting an image, I will get frequent replies from friends who say “Oh it looks super good!” or “Yummy!”. I questioned myself how is it possible that my friends are able to comment “Yummy!”, when have they themselves not tasted the food? Similarly, when I come across a food advertisement on screen, I always wonder how food is able to “taste” so good when we can’t smell or touch it? It is thought-provoking to discover how our sight is able to influence taste.
Although sight is not technically part of taste, our knowledge in the world or things that we have learnt helps us to recognise things quickly. As it is mentioned that food and drink are identified predominantly by sight, not taste. We know that water is to be drank and different types of food have to be eaten in a certain way. Food can be identified by sight alone—we don’t have to eat a strawberry to know it is a strawberry. (Scientific American, 2017)
Another interesting point to note is that our experiences and history with food builds a relationship on what we expect it to be based on what we have seen before. We rely on our memory to experience things. We are able to register the type of texture, taste and flavour from food. This enables us to recall how a particular taste is like when we see a food advertisement of the screen. For example, when we say fried chicken, based on past experiences we will recall that our chicken ought to be crispy and crunchy on the outside and tender juicy meat in the inside. The image of fried chicken on advertisement are “created” in such a way that it brings back brings back memories causing us to crave for that particular taste. One of the most important factors in detecting flavors, which can override all senses, is memory, according to Acree. He pointed out that chilies, stews, candy bars and cooked sausages can resemble vomit or feces. However, many people savor these dishes due to the memory of eating and enjoying them in the past and others may resist trying these foods first the first time because they lack fond memories of their taste. (Anon, 2017)
That being said, we have learned that the color of food and drink makes them ‘taste’ a certain way. For example, the food scientist cited the popular white wine Sauvignon Blanc. The wine´s natural chemicals recall the flavors of banana, passion fruit, and bell pepper. However, when the wine is dyed to look like a merlot or cabernet, people taste the flavors of those red wines. (Anon, 2017) Our mind is being perceived by colour. Based on what we have eaten before and thus, making us familiar with it.
Therefore, the way food looks does influence on our taste based on our knowledge in the world, memory and colour.
Scientific American. (2017). How does the way food looks or its smell influence taste?. [online] Available at: https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/experts-how-does-sight-smell-affect-taste/ [Accessed 13 Nov. 2017].
Briggs, A. (2017). What You See Is What You Taste, Says Scientist. [online] National Geographic Society (blogs). Available at: https://voices.nationalgeographic.org/2013/04/12/what-you-see-is-what-you-taste-says-scientist/ [Accessed 13 Nov. 2017].
Anon, (2017). [online] Available at: Read more at http://www.redorbit.com/news/health/1112821670/flavor-perception-starts-with-the-eyes-041213/#pE8AOGi6grEcg6yi.99 [Accessed 13 Nov. 2017].
thalialam.wordpress.com 