I'd appreciate it if you could help me
What do you eat on the plane? What do you drink? And have you ever had the feeling that the food on the plane is not very good? It is known that the flight environment has a negative impact on taste. There are three main causes. Noise, low pressure, and dryness. Let's take a look at them in order.
Studies have shown that in noise, sweetness is less perceptible and umami is more perceptible (acidity, bitterness, and saltiness remain the same). Tomato juice accounts for 24% of all drinks consumed in the sky. Also, according to a survey of over 1,000 people, 23% said they would never drink tomato juice on the ground, but would drink it on an airplane. The reason is that tomato juice contains a high umami content, which makes it easier to perceive umami in the air. Therefore, the amount of sugar and salt is increased in in-flight meals so that the passengers can easily perceive the sweetness of the juice. The amount of sugar and salt is increased in in-flight meals to make them sweeter. The story of the relationship between noise and taste is also heard in movie theaters. It is said that popcorn in movie theaters has a stronger flavor than regular popcorn.
Airplane air pressure is adjusted to be roughly equal to the atmospheric pressure at an altitude of about 1,800 to 2,500 meters. In such an environment, it is more difficult to perceive sweet, sour, and bitter tastes. In addition, as air pressure decreases, aromatic molecules become less volatile, making it difficult to smell them. Just as pinching your nose to eat something makes it harder to taste it, the sense of smell greatly affects the sense of taste, so if you don't smell it as much, you will perceive it as less flavorful.
One wine critic says that wines made in high altitude regions (such as Argentina) taste better when drunk in an airplane than on the ground. The reason is that the environment at high altitude is similar to that of an airplane cabin.
The air in airplanes is dry, often below 20%. When the air is dry, the inside of the nose dries out and, like low pressure, it is harder to take in aromatic molecules, making it difficult to perceive flavors. One chef seems to be saying, if that's the case, why don't you spray your nose with water spray to moisten it before eating on the plane? LOL!
Finally As we have come to understand these things, in-flight meals are also said to be evolving in the pursuit of good taste. I hope you all enjoy your meals on airplanes. Also, please try some tomato juice up in the sky!
