The impact of perceptual interactions on perceived flavor

When eating or drinking, the individual experiences a multitude of sensations, including taste, smell, touch, temperature, sight, sound, and sometimes pain/irritation. This multi-faceted sensory experience is the underpinning of perceived flavor, although certainly some sensations contribute more than others. This paper reviews how all these sensations interact, both on a perceptual and a physical level, and discusses the resulting impact each has on flavor ratings. Interactions between taste and smell, and interactions of the remaining sensations will be discussed. Finally, practical implications of these interactions for sensory evaluation are discussed. (C) 2003 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.