Abstract
This study was designed to assess whether the combined effect of taste-congruent and incongruent extrinsic visual cues presented in virtual reality (VR) influences the perception of sweetness and product liking. Three VR environments (sweet-congruent, sweet-incongruent, and neutral) were created based on the evidence in existing literature. Participants tasted the same beverage in three VR environments and evaluated the environment and beverage liking, as well as perceived taste intensity (sweetness, sourness, and bitterness), congruency, comfort, and environment vividness. Frontal EEG alpha asymmetry (FAA) was also recorded as a complementary physiological measurement of overall liking. The results showed that the perceived sweetness of the beverage was significantly elevated in a sweet-congruent environment versus the other environments. Visual-taste congruency did not seem to have an effect on beverage liking and overall liking, whereas an increase in environment liking was found in the incongruent environment versus the other environments. These findings confirmed the significant influence of taste-specific visual cues on flavour perception, while the successful use of VR in the study provided insight into future applications of taste-specific VR environment in the modulation of flavour perception and sugar reduction.
Highlights
Our senses are continuously stimulated while we eat, and our brain filters and organises sensory information into an ultimate perception of flavour
In this study, using both subjective and physiological measurements, we focus on the influence of combined visual cues on the perception of sweetness, as well as product liking
Android application packages decorations in each environment were adjusted for similarity in size, scale, and spatial (APK) of the virtual reality (VR) environments were made freely available through three QR codes (Figure S2)
Summary
Our senses are continuously stimulated while we eat, and our brain filters and organises sensory information into an ultimate perception of flavour. As one of the five basic senses, which contributes to the formation of the final flavour perception [1]. A growing body of research shows that visual cues, both intrinsic and extrinsic, are able to influence acceptance and perceived flavour [2,3,4,5,6]. In this study, using both subjective and physiological measurements, we focus on the influence of combined visual cues on the perception of sweetness, as well as product liking
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