FOOD MANUFACTURING
Food and Mood: Exploring the Sensory Connection
Learn how food and drink may positively impact mood and how sensory science can apply to this concept.
As we move into the New Year, many want to uphold resolutions for wellbeing. Sound mental health is critical in this arena, impacted by daily patterns, moods, and meals. How can sensory perceptions of food and drink impact mood, and how can sensory science apply to formulations within this concept?
Consumption can impact emotion, and emotions reflect within moods. The process of eating and perception can trigger the brain to broadcast certain signs facilitated by neurotransmitters. These chemical workhorses take pathways connecting the brain, nervous system, and body. Flavors, aromas, and spices can be partially responsible for signaling specific neurotransmitters, influencing consumer moods.
One notable neurotransmitter is serotonin, sometimes called the “happy molecule” due to its mood-lifting impact. Approximately 95% of serotonin originates in the gut. Its direct food origin can come from fruits, vegetables, and seeds.1 Serotonin’s precursor is the amino acid tryptophan. Although turkey and tryptophan share a popularized relationship, entry for tryptophan into the brain is boosted more by carbohydrate-rich foods, as protein alone contains amino acids competing for brain entry. The omega-3 fatty acids in fish are also known to raise serotonin levels.2
Another notable neurotransmitter is dopamine, which can impact emotions and behaviors. Foods like velvet beans, meat, dairy, eggs, chocolate, fruit, legumes, green vegetables, and pumpkin seeds can increase dopamine by supplying the body with its precursor, L-DOPA. Spices such as oregano, turmeric, and rosemary also provide a source. The amino acid tyrosine controls dopamine’s production process and is found in foods containing protein (however, competing with tryptophan for brain access). Choline is a less competitive nutrient and precursor to acetylcholine (related to mental aptness and memory). Choline can be found in wheat germ and egg products.1, 2
Positive memories can also drive consumption related to mood. Feelings can arise from sensory attribute categories that remind us of our experiences. For instance, holiday meals with a traditional aroma may cause more positive moods. Feel-good products are often grouped under a common term: comfort food. Their chemical properties are recognized and then quantified as containing comforting attributes. Per studies, comfort foods are also selected to find feelings of connectedness during times of isolation.3
How does this concept relate to sensory testing, and how can we examine consumers' connections with food and drink? Emotional and mood-related connections can have just as big an impact on consumer purchasing decisions as does flavor. In some situations, emotional connections with food can surpass hedonic liking, with consumers preferring foods with less ideal sensory profiles but stronger affective bonds. These emotions generated by aromas and flavors can be measured, to help you explore connections between your consumers and their food. By pairing your traditional hedonic and diagnostic questions with emotion-based questions, you can understand the whole picture of your product and how it compares to competitors. Qualitative research can also be conducted to focus on emotional connections, and to help you create products that consumers are passionate about.
Seasonal changes can also impact food and drink choices, as consumers sometimes align certain foods with seasons. Changing seasons have even been shown to alter food aroma hedonics and familiarity rankings throughout the year. A mouthfeel of warmth or spice may pleasantly contrast the low temperature in colder regions.4 Throughout the year, this could impact priorities in sensory testing.
As resolutions last a full year, sensory testing can explore the food and mood connections throughout.
Contact us for information regarding our sensory testing services to enhance your perceptive or seasonal product development goals.
References:
[1] Gasmi et al, Neurotransmitters Regulation and Food Intake: The Role of Dietary Sources in Neurotransmission. Molecules 2023, 28, 210. https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules28010210.
[2] Sommer, Elizabeth M.A., R.D., Food and Mood: The Complete Guide to Eating Well and Feeling Your Best, 2nd Edition. Holt Paperbacks, New York, NY, 1999.
[3] Mueller, Christina, Why We Love Comfort Food: The Science Behind the Holiday - and Covid - Indulgence. Better Magazine. October 28, 2020. https://better.net/food-drink/why-we-love-comfort-food-the-science-behind-holiday-and-covid-indulgence/
[4] Spence, Charles, Explaining Season Patterns of Food Consumption. International Journal of Gastronomy and Food Science. Volume 24. July 2021, 100332 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijgfs.2021.100332