Music can enhance the flavour of your food

The moment we take a sip of our morning coffee or our first bite of lunch, the brain begins interpreting what we taste. Is it sweet? Sour? Or something else entirely?

But the brain does not create flavour based solely on signals from the tongue. That is the finding of a new study from the Department of Food Science, published in the scientific journal Scientific Reports.

"When music reaches the ears at the same time as we are eating, we can see that the brain responds more strongly than when taste is experienced without music," says first author and postdoctoral researcher Alberte Baggesgaard Seeberg from the Department of Food Science.

Using brain scans, the researchers show that music can activate some of the same brain regions involved in processing taste.

"This tells us that flavour is not simply a property of food. Flavour is an experience created by the brain," says senior author and professor Janice Wang.

A breakthrough in brain imaging

This is the first time researchers have used brain imaging to show what happens in the brain when it processes taste. In the study, they used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), which measures activity in different parts of the brain by detecting changes in blood flow.

"This allows us to move beyond simply asking people about their experiences, which has been the approach in previous studies. With brain scans, we gain a biological window into what happens when the senses interact," says Alberte Baggesgaard Seeberg.

While participants lay in the scanner, their brain activity was measured under different conditions. In some cases, they listened only to music. In others, they tasted flavour solutions. In some trials, music and taste were presented simultaneously. This enabled the researchers to compare how the brain responds to sound and taste separately and in combination.

The results clearly showed that certain brain regions were more active when participants listened to music while tasting one of the two flavour solutions.

"We can see that flavour is constructed by the brain and not only by the taste buds. What determines flavour is not limited to what happens on the tongue. It emerges through the integration of multiple senses," says Janice Wang.

The findings build on previous studies showing that music can enhance particular taste perceptions. For example, slow pop music with harmonious tones may enhance sweetness. Until now, however, this has only been investigated through behavioural studies in which participants rated flavours with and without music.

Shaping flavour experiences could improve wellbeing

According to the researchers, the new knowledge could be used to design better eating experiences in a range of settings, including restaurants, canteens and hospitals.

"For people who are at risk of malnutrition, something as simple as music could potentially improve the eating experience. There is a great deal we can do, often at very little cost, to improve quality of life for some people," says Alberte Baggesgaard Seeberg.

Janice Wang is pleased that, after many years of research into flavour and sensory perception, the team can now present biological evidence of how the senses interact.

"We now have a new way of influencing flavour perception, creating a better meal experience and potentially a better overall experience, without necessarily changing the food itself," she says.

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Fact box: Sound can enhance flavour

It has long been known that music can alter the perception of flavour. This effect is known as sonic seasoning.

What is new is that researchers have now linked this effect to direct measurements of brain activity.

The new brain scans support previous research in the field.

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Fact box: About the study

The study included 28 participants. While lying in a brain scanner, they alternated between listening to music and tasting flavour solutions made from sugar and citric acid. In some cases, both were presented at the same time.

The results show that certain types of music can enhance specific taste perceptions.

The researchers suggest that future studies should include a larger and more diverse group of participants, as factors such as age and cultural background may influence associations between music and taste.

Although flavour solutions were used in this study, the researchers expect similar results with foods that taste sweet or sour.