The effect of music on gelato perception in different eating contexts

Abstract

This study highlights the effect of music on flavour dynamics under three different environmental conditions (laboratory, immersive, and natural eating environment). Music valence, the pleasantness of three environments, as well as participants' affective state and emotional responses to chocolate gelato while listening to music, were all measured. The perception of chocolate gelato flavour across the different eating environments was measured using the Temporal Check All That Apply (TCATA) method under disliked, neutral, and liked music conditions, and a control (silent) condition. Citations in TCATA represent the number of panellist agreeing that a specific sensation or perception occurred at a specific time point. Results showed that cocoaness, sweetness, and milkiness were cited more in the natural eating environment than the laboratory setting, and bitterness and creaminess the least cited. The cited attributes in the immersive environment were similar to the natural eating environment. Liked and neutral music increased sweetness citations, whereas disliked music increased bitterness citations.

Keywords: Emotion; Gelato; Music; Temporal check all that apply.