Cheers to In-Flight Umami

After making your way to the airport, past check-in, through security, to your gate, onto the plane, hauling your bag up to the overhead bin, and finally taking your seat, it’s time for your reward — a nice, tasty cocktail. If you’re not sure what to order, may we suggest a Bloody Mary? According to science, they taste even better at 30,000 feet.

The Science of Taste at High Altitudes

According to a 2016 study by a group of Cornell researchers published in the Journal of Experimental Psychology: Human Perception and Performance, tomato juice, an essential ingredient in a Bloody Mary, tastes better in the air due to the high noise level on airplanes, which impacts an individual’s taste perception.

To reach this conclusion, the researchers had 48 participants sample various tomato juices with differing flavor profiles, including sweet, salty, and bitter options. During the tasting, the noise levels were increased while participants rated the intensity of each flavor. The findings revealed that in noisier settings, participants struggled to detect sweetness. However, savory flavors, known as “umami,” remained easily identifiable.

Impact of Environment on Flavor

“Our study confirmed that in an environment of loud noise, our sense of taste is compromised. Interestingly, this was specific to sweet and umami tastes, with sweet taste inhibited and umami taste significantly enhanced,” stated Robin Dando, assistant professor of food science at Cornell. “The multi-sensory properties of the environment where we consume our food can alter our perception of the foods we eat.”

Cornell scientists aren’t the only ones to verify this finding. Lufthansa commissioned a study by Germany’s Fraunhofer Institute for Building Physics, revealing that the combination of low humidity and pressure reduces the sensitivity of taste buds for both sweet and salty flavors by 30%. This reinforces the idea that umami-rich foods are particularly satisfying in the air.

“The multisensory nature of what we consider ‘flavor’ is undoubtedly supported by complex central and peripheral interactions,” Dando continued. “Our results characterize a novel sensory interaction, with intriguing implications for how the environment influences our food experience.”

Your In-Flight Choice

If you didn’t quite grasp all the details, that’s alright. The most important takeaway is to order yourself a Bloody Mary or a refreshing tomato juice to enhance your travel experience.