What do we know about the sensory drivers of emotions in foods and beverages?

Abstract

In the past decade, while interest in emotions has markedly grown, the relationships between sensory properties and emotions, and particularly the role played by product liking/disliking, remain underexplored. In this review we provide a concise summary of recent research on the emotions elicited by unbranded foods and beverages, as well as simpler taste and odour stimuli. Scientific advances and research limitations will be discussed, while taking account of heterogeneity in results due to the different methodologies used in the field and the role of individual differences. Food scientists will benefit from this state-of-affairs review to drive advances in applied research regarding the sensory drivers of emotions, much in the same way past research has contributed to an understanding of the sensory drivers of liking.