Odor–Taste Interactions in Food Perception: Exposure Protocol Shows No Effects of Associative Learning

Abstract Repeated exposure can change the perceptual and hedonic features of flavor. Associative learning during which a flavor’s odor component is affected by co-exposure with taste thought to be central in this process. However, changes also arise due itself. The aim study was dissociate effects associative from without repeatedly presenting one together sucrose second alone. Sixty individuals attended two testing sessions separated 5-day Exposure Phase stimuli were presented as flavorants chewing gums that chewed three times daily. Ratings sweetness, pleasantness, intensity enhancement taste, referral mouth collected at both sessions. Consistent notion food preferences are modulated exposure, pleasantness increased between independently whether (basil or orange flower) had been sucrose. we found no evidence any tasks. In addition, exploratory equivalence tests suggested these either absent insignificant magnitude. Taken together, our results suggest hypothesized smaller than previously highly dependent on experimental setting. Future studies needed evaluate relative support for explanations and, if conditions identified reliably produce such effects, identify factors regulate formation new odor–taste associations.