How does flying affect your taste buds?

Have you ever felt the need to turn the music off when you come up to a roundabout? Or, when you’ve driven over a pothole and heard quite an alarming bang? No, me either.

But have you ever considered turning off music, or removing background noise to better taste your food?

It’s not personal. It’s science. You can taste your food better when there’s reduced noise. Frequent flyers may find that food just doesn’t taste as good when you’re 30,000 feet in the air, and it’s all because excess noise can reduce your perception of sweetness. Also, in the mix is… air pressure – which similarly affects taste perception of sweet and salty flavours, as well as low cabin humidity which is responsible for drying out your nose and mouth dulling flavour.[1]

Interestingly, this is a topic that’s also attracted the attention of renowned chefs, like Heston Blumenthal – who worked with Channel 4 on a programme called Heston’s Space Food – creating recipes that could be enjoyed in space.

With airlines working on upgrading their in-flight offerings, or participating in brand collaborations, delivering on taste can be quite a challenge. French, Belgian and British airlines have, at times, hired Michelin starred chefs to create menus for luxury travelling. But other airlines, like the American chain Delta, are doing something even more innovative. Available only out of Boston International Airport currently, and on flights over 900 miles, customers can find branded Shake Shack items on menus. This self-described ‘first of its kind’ addition is likely to roll out across more sites this year.

It offers QSR-giants a chance to tap into markets previously out of reach.

So, when you have big names, or big brands advertised, how do you maintain the quality, and taste that’s expected?

  • More salt and sugar – great for your tastebuds, not so much your blood pressure or teeth.
  • Umami-rich ingredients (like soy sauce) are good, as umami holds up better in-flight. Curious to learn more about Umami? Read our blog on it here.
  • Some high-end airlines even pre-cook meals to 90% and finish them on board to retain flavour.

Moving on to the drinks trolley, there was a time way back when, when a Bloody Mary could be ordered, FOR FREE, on long-haul flights, and subsequently, it became a drink synonymous with flying. But why?

Tomato juice is rich in umami, and unaffected by air pressure or humidity, keeps its strong flavour profile. Paired with other strong, and sometimes salty additions like Worcestershire sauce, pepper and horseradish gives you a cocktail that packs a punch.

Now, this does raise an interesting question around RTD cocktails and alcoholic partnerships on board – especially on long haul flights. With the recommendation to stay hydrated and drink water in order to help your food taste better, how do airlines keep consumers, especially those in premium seats, happy – possibly with a balance of just the right amount of upmarket, free alcohol to make sure that prepared food still tastes that of high-quality.

But what does this all this mean for manufacturers and contract caterers supplying airlines? In a nutshell – altitude testing matters.

And as for frequent flyers, is it time we invest in noise-cancelling headphones?

Did you find this interesting? Are you a brand looking to reach new heights in a new market? Why not get in touch to find out how we can help you here

[1] Tasting in the air: A review, Charles Spence, April 2017, University of Oxford: https://ora.ox.ac.uk.

Caitlin Hynd
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