The Impact of Vision on Flavor Perception

Novel methods for testing olfactory and visual interactions were devised. Visual stimuli were the outlines of cherries and a banana; olfactory stimuli were benzaldehyde and isoamyl acetate. Perithreshold detection levels for visual stimuli and olfactory stimuli were calculated. An olfactory task (OF) and visual task (VF) were tested. The OF task required panelists to perform an odor task while viewing an image; the VF task required panelists to perform a visual task while sniffing an odor. No significant changes in detection sensitivity were found in either the OF or VF tasks when either the visual or olfactory stimuli were congruent or incongruent.