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The document discusses how context shapes perception of food. It explores how visual presentation, ambient factors like lighting and music, social context, and mood all influence how food is experienced and appreciated. Aesthetically pleasing food is often rated as more flavorful. Dim lighting and soft music create a relaxed atmosphere conducive to enjoyment. Eating with friends tends to increase consumption due to social influences. Both positive and negative emotions can impact eating behaviors and food perception. The context surrounding a meal profoundly shapes our sensory experience of food.

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45 views4 pages

Sensory Evaluation Blog Ready To Submit

The document discusses how context shapes perception of food. It explores how visual presentation, ambient factors like lighting and music, social context, and mood all influence how food is experienced and appreciated. Aesthetically pleasing food is often rated as more flavorful. Dim lighting and soft music create a relaxed atmosphere conducive to enjoyment. Eating with friends tends to increase consumption due to social influences. Both positive and negative emotions can impact eating behaviors and food perception. The context surrounding a meal profoundly shapes our sensory experience of food.

Uploaded by

HTGamer Monster
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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You are on page 1/ 4

Ever Wondered

“How your perception of food can change from time to time? Let’s explore”

“You eat how You think”


“The Art of Context: Exploring How the Enviroment Shapes our Perception of Food”
Intro:
In a hustle of the modern lives, lunch often becomes a sprint instead of a leisurely pause and flavors are
indeed just fleeting moments in the phase of deadlines. Yet, in a cozy and comfort setting, the savour of
the same dish could dance on the plate while the aromas revive cherish memories. Though flavors are the
same, have you ever wondered how the context in which we eat and drink shapes our appreciation of
food? This blog will embark on a journey that discovers the subtle nuances that transform a basic meal to
the masterpiece of sensory.

Body:
Aesthetic qualities
Did you ever wonder what the secret to a perfect dining experience is? More than just eating, the culinary
arts encompass the harmony of our 5 senses that conveys with every sips and bites.
But, have you ever stopped to wonder if “You Eat With Your Eyes” really mean “The First Taste is With
The Eyes”?

Original Image by [Nguyen, Khue]

In the gastronomy world, the visual presentation of food, along with colors and plating techniques, boost
the overall sensory experience based primarily on visual judgements (#1). In prior to consumption,
aesthetically-appealing presented food is usually perceived as to be more flavorful . As part of the halo
effect, a psychological connection between appearance and taste, our brain perceives visually appealing
food as “yummy” and a nice presentation of food will make the serving more appetizing as well as
stimulates our appetitite (#2). Further, the vivid colors and elegant garnish commonly triggers positive
responses and therefore, grabs our attention and creates curiosity that stimulates us to savor every bite
(#2).

Ambiance and setting:


Location
According to a recent study, eating location affects the perception and
acceptability of food(#4). That being said, the same food consumed in a
resataurant is rated much higher in comparison to that of in the student
cafeteria. Why? It could be explained through the acceptance-avoidance
behavior in which the emotional states that ones might experience such as
pleasure or arousal in a restaurant setting, will increase the perception and
therefore, the overall dining experience (#4).
The Art of Restaurant Playlisting

Did you ever ponder why many people choose hidden bar as an escape from the
city buzz? The “get away” usually begins with soft music dancing in the
background, with a blend of jazz and blues, accompanied by dim lights that casts
soft shadows. Despite “Eating with your Eyes”, background music also
influences our dining experience. It is an art to choose “the right music” for “the
right ambiance” as music can set the atmosphere for the overall dining
experience. Seeking peaceful and leisurely pause at a hidden bar in the late
evening, you would not want the place to play loud music with fast tempo (15).
Why? According to recent research, such fast-tempo music suppresses the
appetite because it triggers the “fight-or-flight response” in the symphathetic
nervous system” (15). In such cozy setting, a blend of jazz and blues sets a stage
that allows the patrons to enjoy every sip of champage, as the soft music contributes to the “authentic”
flavors (11). One thing to notice, the intensity and color of lighting in many hidden bars are set at a dim
and low lighting, in which to create a relaxed and private atmosphere. Statistically shown, bright lightings
typically make people alert, so in an intimating and cozy ambiance, the dim lights allow the “visitors”
leisurely enjoy their surroundings (11,12). All these elements combine and add aesthetic appeal to the
space as well as enhance the sense of comfort, thus increase the overall experience.

From good mood to good food


Do you notice, when you dine in cozy and intimating environments with your loved ones, you are more
likely to consume a larger portion of food? It is because when you are in joy, the positive feelings will
have such impact on eating behaviors. For instance, they increase food pleasure. Why? Positive emotions
increase the desire for rewarding experiences, which in this case, the enjoyment of food, and thus,
increase one’s motivation to eat. (9). In comparison, when you eat alone, you might not eat as much, as
there are no distractions that take your satiety away.

~ A Dark Side of Mood


However, when we are negative states, depending on the individual’s coping mechanism and biological
responses, some of us will end up “eating like a horse”, while others cannot even swallow a tiny bite.
Negative emotions could provoke eating as coping mechanism. As the levels of serotonin are imbalanced
during times of stress or anger, a high-carbohydrate meal could improve mood and suppress the stress
hormones – cortisol (10). This explains why we would normally crave sugar during stressful times as a
method to reduce negative emotions. However, intense emotions are also connected with physiological
that disrupts our motivation to eat. For instance, high level of stress delays the glucose absoprtion and
gastrointestinal transit, leading to a feeling “butterflies in the stomach” (20).
Whatelse affects our appreciation of food?
The perception of food could also referred to as the appropriateness of food in different situations (13).
You eat how you think !
Depending on the social context, our perception of food differs. When eating with a group of friends, we
tend to eat more, as influenced by many contextual variables such as social norms, portion sizes, or the
expectations arisen from other’s prior description (18). Further, us as humans have strong desire to be
liked and accepted, and we achieve that goal modelling (18). That being said, if we dine with someone
who eats a large portion, we tend to eat more, and if our friends eat salad, for instance, we would perceive
as healthy, and would do the same. When we hangout with people who we do not know very well, we
tend to eat very little as to not appear as “greedy”. We base on the the consumption stereotypes to make
judgements about others, meanwhile, we use them to achieve other’s insights of ourselves through the
psychological concept called the “Impression Management” (18).

Conclusion
In the complex world of sensory and the surroundings, the impact of the context in which we eat and
drink shapes our perception of food. From a snappy lunch, to a cozy dinner or from dining with friends to
dining alone, it is clear that the environment is important in shaping our culinary experience. As we
untangle all the psychological, social, or environmental stimulus, every sip and bite are belonged to a
larger picture of context. By understanding these elements, we set the stage for a better appreciation for
the culinary arts.

Call to action
As you embark on your next culinary exploration, it is your time to acknowledge how powerful that
context can influence your food perception. Whether it is a cozy date night, or a hustle lunch, pay
attention to such subtle nuances around your dining occasions. Share with us your faovorite content-
driven culinary moments and let’s explore the fascinating world behind the the arts of dining and our
sensory science. Bon appetit!

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/2044-7248-2-24 (#1)
https://officialsocialstar.com/blogs/blog/how-does-the-way-food-looks-influence-taste (#2)
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0950329314001232 (#3)
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0950329314001232 (#4)
https://officialsocialstar.com/blogs/blog/can-the-appearance-of-food-influence-how-it-tastes (#6)
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/j.1745-459X.2009.00267.x (8)
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0195666307003236?
casa_token=KNlurNWfZg8AAAAA:JWBW0ssxuUghf4_SE3xYWOiB27ZQ4xchIW4GS4tTK_YYXtO
Gdc7RJcqA8fuErQMfhIA_qhaPWXU (9)

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S096399691500157X?
casa_token=LzlbpIo2TD8AAAAA:O9gBR2N7MtEW_AUhmnBw8lQEgPT_IyAMm5m4JBjXXGk30Rl
91rIuR9dJ2zne8J7hIJ1MlGwYedk (10)

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/2044-7248-1-7 (11)
https://resources.boelter.com/how-restaurant-lighting-affects-diners#:~:text=Because%20bright%20light
%20leaves%20customers,content%20with%20their%20dining%20experience. (12)
-

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK209036/ (13)
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S2214799319300335 (14)

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/hide-and-seek/201407/the-psychology-restaurant-music
(15)

https://www.34st.com/article/2022/09/food-music-dining-guide-playlist-songs-restaurant-club-owner-
scientific-neuroscience (17)

https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/978-3-030-14504-0_27.pdf (18)

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26122754/#:~:text=Analysis%20revealed%20that%20positive
%20emotions,sour%20and%20decreased%20sweet%20tastes. (19)

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0195666307003236?
casa_token=KNlurNWfZg8AAAAA:JWBW0ssxuUghf4_SE3xYWOiB27ZQ4xchIW4GS4tTK_YYXtOGdc7RJcqA
8fuErQMfhIA_qhaPWXU#aep-section-id22 (20)

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