Color of the Cup Enhances Taste of Hot Chocolate

Scientists have shown that the manner in which food and drink is served contributes hugely to the perception of taste.

Betina Piqueras-Fiszman and Charles Spence from the Polytechnic University of Valencia, Spain and the University of Oxford, UK,, respectively, chose 57 volunteers and invited them to taste hot chocolate which was served in plastic cups of varied hues -- red, orange, white and cream -- with white color on the inside.

The drink served was the same in all the cups, but the volunteers reported a better flavor when it was served in orange or cream colored cups, prompting the researchers to suggest that the color of the container in which food or beverage is served can contribute to enhance the perception of taste and aroma.

Earlier research revealed that yellow color containers boosted the perception of lemony flavor present in soft drinks. It was also found that beverages that were cool- colored such as blue were able to quench thirst better than red -colored drinks while pink drinks were perceived to be more sugary.

The findings of the present study hope to benefit chefs and food manufacturers. The results of the present study has been published in, the Journal of Sensory Studies.

Source-Medindia