Want Your Next Plane Ride to be Less Noisy? Drink Tomato Juice
It's been a while since I've flown (about 14 years!) but did you know that when you're in the air and it's too noisy, eating a meal that's savory (and has tomatoes) will dull the sound? Of course, that's only when you get a meal. While examining how airplane noise affects the palat e, Cornell University food scientists found sweetness suppressed and a tasty, tender tomato surprise: umami, according to newswise.com. A Japanese scientific term, umami describes the sweet, savory taste of amino acids such as glutamate in foods like tomato juice, and according to the new study, in noisy situations – like the 85 decibels aboard a jetliner – umami-rich foods become your taste bud’s best buds. “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,” says Robin Dando, assistant professor of fo...