Have you ever wondered why food tastes different on airplanes? Brownies taste bland, and peanuts taste plain, but bloody marys taste richer? Flavor is a combination of your taste buds and sense of smell, and according to research by Charles Spence, a professor of experimental psychology at Oxford University, these senses are affected in higher altitudes. The low air pressure and lack of humidity affect your sense of taste, reducing your detection of saltiness and sweetness. At the same time, sour, bitter and spicy flavors remain unaffected, and umami notes (like tomatoes and cheese) actually seem stronger in the air than on the ground.
Flavor is influenced not only by your taste buds but also your hearing. The loud humming of the jet engines causes food to taste less salty and sweet. BBC reports that airlines’ executive chefs contend with these difficulties by modifying in-flight meals with extra salt and spices to make the flavors “more robust.” As a passenger, you can make your meal more satisfying by wearing earplugs or noise-canceling headphones.
Besides your mouth and ears, your nose also affects your flavor detection and eating experience. The aroma of a food can account for as much as 80 percent of its flavor. Think of the last time you were in the mall or the airport and smelled a sweet, brown sugar cinnamon scent. You probably recognized it as Cinnabon’s cinnamon rolls. Based on a study by The Wall Street Journal, Cinnabon uses “scent-marketing” strategies to lure in customers. Its pastry stores bake the cinnamon rolls every 30 minutes, as well as warm up sheets of brown sugar and cinnamon to keep the aroma lingering.
Cinnabon also strategically secures locations in the center of the mall for optimal exposure of its smells. Other retailers — such as Bath & Body Works (which also relies on scent to sell its products) or Abercrombie & Fitch — also know that scent is a factor in the shopper’s experience and locate their stores far from Cinnabon and other food venues.
Other food businesses are also tapping into the power of smell to increase sales or evoke certain flavors, such as Wendy’s with its grilled chicken sandwich, which contains beef extracts. In 2008, Starbucks took its breakfast sandwiches off the menu for a brief period. CEO Howard Schultz thought the smell of cheese interfered with the scent of coffee, which is central to the cafe’s experience. Starbucks’ aroma task force researched how to put the breakfast item back on the menu but still keep the coffee smell dominant.
You can manipulate your own eating experience by altering the sounds and smells around you. Although you may not be able to change much while flying, you can be mindful of what you’re eating and how it tastes.
