Introduction

The effect of seven virtual environments (visual and auditory) on the rating of sensory attributes of identical samples of ketchup and salad dressing was assessed.

Methods

Fifty-one participants were recruited and immersed in virtual scenes evoking heat, cold, height and fear, high speed and fear, sadness, pleasure, and relaxation. The participants tasted samples of both products while being subjected to virtual stimuli. Each panelist tested the seven environments, and control tests were carried out without the VR headset. Panelists rated eight descriptive attributes based on their perception, and results were analyzed by principal component analysis to obtain a general overview of the rated attributes, and by generalized procrustes to explain possible correlations between virtual environments and attribute ratings.

Results

Heat evoking scene caused increased intensity of hotness and moisture, and decreased bitterness; cold evoking scene increased sweetness perception. Virtual environments increased sweetness, moisture, and bitterness perception in men when compared to women.

Conclusions

Virtual reality contexts influenced the taste and texture perception of ketchup and salad dressing; moreover, the effect of these stimuli was different in men and women.

Implications

Besides applications in condiments, the obtained results can shed light on the influence of virtual stimuli on food product sensory perception in general, since virtual environments for sensory tests are gaining great interest for researchers and the food industry.

中文翻译：

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虚拟现实沉浸：两种常见调味品相同样品的味道和质地变化

介绍

评估了七种虚拟环境（视觉和听觉）对相同番茄酱和沙拉酱样品的感官属性评级的影响。

方法

招募了 51 名参与者并沉浸在虚拟场景中，这些场景唤起了热、冷、高度和恐惧、高速和恐惧、悲伤、快乐和放松。参与者在受到虚拟刺激的同时品尝了两种产品的样品。每个小组成员测试了七种环境，并且在没有 VR 耳机的情况下进行了控制测试。小组成员根据他们的感知对八个描述性属性进行评分，并通过主成分分析对结果进行分析，以获得对被评分属性的总体概述，并通过广义 procrustes 来解释虚拟环境和属性评分之间可能的相关性。

结果

热激场景导致热湿强度增加，苦味减少；寒冷的场景增加了甜味感。与女性相比，虚拟环境增加了男性对甜味、水分和苦味的感知。

结论

虚拟现实环境影响番茄酱和沙拉酱的味道和质地感知；此外，这些刺激对男性和女性的影响是不同的。

影响

除了在调味品中的应用外，所获得的结果还可以阐明虚拟刺激对食品感官知觉的影响，因为用于感官测试的虚拟环境引起了研究人员和食品工业的极大兴趣。