Unlocking the Mystery: Why Your Taste Buds Betray You at 30,000 Feet and the Surprising Flavors That Soar
Ever wondered why your airplane meal tastes less like a gourmet feast and more like a science experiment gone wrong? Believe me, you’re not alone — that strangely bland—or sometimes oddly savory—bite mid-flight has baffled many. Turns out, the culprit isn’t just the infamous “plane food” stigma, but the roaring jet engines humming away around you. Experimental psychologist Charles Spence, a clever mind at Oxford, dug into this mystery back in 2014 and uncovered that that relentless engine noise actually dials down our ability to taste sweetness but ironically cranks up savory flavors like umami. So next time your soda tastes like flat water or your pasta feels oddly boosted, thank the noisy cabin that’s messing with your taste buds—and maybe your expectations too. Intrigued?
Scientists have come up with an answer for why the food tastes different when you’re on a plane.
If you’ve ever taken a sip of your drink on a flight and been left wondering why it tastes funny, you are far from alone.
Experimental psychologist Charles Spence is a professor at the University of Oxford, and back in 2014 he conducted a study into how one particular factor on a flight might affect the way you taste things – the noise.
While planes have come a long way since the Wright Brothers, the sound of a roaring jet engine still penetrates into the most insulated of cabins, though the noise may also be some comfort to passengers in need of reassurance that yes, the engines are still working.
Spence’s work found that the noise of the engines can dull some of our tastes, including sweetness, which explains why the super sweet soda might taste noticeably different, Atlas Obscura reported.
Strangely other flavours even seemed to be enhanced by the noise, for example umami which is a savoury taste.
It’s probably a good idea to manage your expectations when it comes to plane food (Getty Stock)
This discovery has even led to suggestions that the menus on flights be curated to favour umami-heavy foods such as tomatoes, mushrooms, or parmesan cheese.
Some airlines in Scandinavia and Hong Kong have even started serving special beers which have been brewed specifically to emphasise the flavours which are enhanced at high altitude.
In the case of British Airways, there was even a ‘Sound Bites’ feature where passengers could listen to a special playlist while tucking into their food, which they introduced in 2014.
That’s certainly a long way from a lukewarm sandwich on a budget airline.
Spence also carried out a scientific experiment where he and other academics found that sweeter flavours tend to be enhanced by higher pitched noises.
Meanwhile, bitterness was brought out by sounds with a lower pitch, while whether a food was crunchy or making another noise also contributed to how people eat it.
There is a reason plane food tastes different (Getty Stock)
You’ve heard of ‘the first bite is with the eyes’, but it turns out our ears also get in on the action.
Plane food is not exactly known for being the finest of fine dining experiences, but it turns out that sound is not the only thing which could be affecting your taste buds in mid air.
Ex flight attendant Mandy Smith opened up to LADBible previously about all the different things which might alter the way that you taste your food on a plane.
“It’s not the food that’s bad, it’s your taste buds that are different in mid air,” she said.”The pressure of the cabin affects your whole body, even your taste buds.”
She added: “It affects all of your gastric anomalies, your brain and everything. It does affect your taste buds as well.”
This theory around cabin pressure was corroborated by Russ Brown, the director of In-flight Dining & Retail at American Airlines, who told the BBC: “Flavour is a combination of both, and our perception of saltiness and sweetness drop when inside a pressurised cabin.”
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