Flavor–nutrient learning independent of flavor–taste learning with college students

Abstract

Flavor preference learning is mediated by associations with other liked tastes (flavor–taste learning) or calories (flavor–nutrient learning). The present study asked whether flavor–nutrient learning could be exhibited independent of flavor–taste learning in humans (as has been shown in animals). Subjects were 24 undergraduates with a mean age of 19 years. Half the subjects received the bitter-tasting cream cheese crackers with high fat cream cheese, half with low fat cream cheeses. Half the cream cheeses were flavored orange, half banana in each group. Results showed that subjects who had high fat flavored cream cheese rated the flavor more pleasant in plain crackers than subjects who had the flavor in low fat cream cheese (flavor–nutrient learning), although all cream cheese crackers were bitter tasting in training (flavor–taste learning).