"Super-tasters" study your taste senses
900 scientists meet at the Pangborn Sensory Science Symposium in Minneapolis
Jon Tevelin, MCT Campus
Issue date: 8/29/07 Section: Food & Drink
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One seminar discussed findings that brain scans of chefs revealed dramatically higher activity in the frontal cortex when they were given smells or tastes.
"The question is which came first?" asked Maria Veldhuizen of Yale's John B. Pierce Laboratory.
Are they chefs because of higher sensitivity to taste and smell, or did they develop them because they are chefs?
In another room, Brian Wansink was dissecting how the Subway chain created a reputation for healthy and low-fat sandwiches through its "Jared" commercials.
But a case study showed that while most customers knew Subway offered low-fat sandwiches, "they still ate the 12-inch meatball sub," or added chips and cookies, he said.
The author of "Mindless Eating; Why We Eat More Than We Think," Wansink discussed how difficult it is for people to monitor their food. Even nutrition professors, when given a larger bowl, ate 51 percent more ice cream, he said.
Huajing Xing, a native of China now living in Connecticut, will take a lot of knowledge home, as well as a polite appreciation of Minnesota food.
"I like the fish," she said. "And the marshmallow. You know, melting?"
S'mores?
"Oh yeah," she said. "I love it."?
"The question is which came first?" asked Maria Veldhuizen of Yale's John B. Pierce Laboratory.
Are they chefs because of higher sensitivity to taste and smell, or did they develop them because they are chefs?
In another room, Brian Wansink was dissecting how the Subway chain created a reputation for healthy and low-fat sandwiches through its "Jared" commercials.
But a case study showed that while most customers knew Subway offered low-fat sandwiches, "they still ate the 12-inch meatball sub," or added chips and cookies, he said.
The author of "Mindless Eating; Why We Eat More Than We Think," Wansink discussed how difficult it is for people to monitor their food. Even nutrition professors, when given a larger bowl, ate 51 percent more ice cream, he said.
Huajing Xing, a native of China now living in Connecticut, will take a lot of knowledge home, as well as a polite appreciation of Minnesota food.
"I like the fish," she said. "And the marshmallow. You know, melting?"
S'mores?
"Oh yeah," she said. "I love it."?
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