Appearance of cutlery can affect taste of food

The appearance, weight, shape and colour of cutlery can have a substantial impact on food’s taste.
This is according to scientists from the University of Oxford, who measured the reactions of a number of taste testers to meat, vegetables and carbohydrates delivered on various utensils.
It was found that anything eaten directly from a knife tastes saltier and denser and more expensive than when consumed from a plastic spoon. Researchers also discovered beverages in cold coloured glasses are more refreshing than those in darker glasses.
Additionally, white yoghurt eaten from a white utensil was rated as sweeter, more liked and of higher quality compared to a black spoon.
This could have a wide-ranging impact on diet management, as the creators of regimes may now advise adherents to diversify their use of cutlery to make healthier food taste better.
Dr Vanessa Harrar and Professor Charles Spence, who performed the study, said: “How we experience food is a multisensory experience involving taste, feel of the food in our mouths, aroma, and the feasting of our eyes.”