Sensory-specific satiety and the variety effect

Abstract

The variety effect refers to the observation that one is inclined to eat more from a varied meal than from a monotonous meal. A common explanation for this effect is that the variety of foods comprising a varied meal undermines the development of meal satiation. More precisely, the different foods dishabituate sensory-specific satiety for any one food within the meal. Sensory-specific satiety is the decrease in pleasure derived from eating a specific food relative to other uneaten foods. In other words, the variety effect is the result of experiencing different flavours interfering with satiation for any one of these flavours. It can be argued though that this interference is not due to dishabituation of sensory-specific satiety, but the result of a delay in exposure to any one of different foods comprising the meal. According to this alternative explanation, meal variety will not necessarily disturb sensory satiation.