The Sensory and Emotional Response to Different Tableware Materials

Abstract

The high environmental impact caused by the accumulation of single-use plastic calls for measures to curb this problem, from a ban on single-use plastic tableware to the production of a wide range of biodegradable and reusable products. The aim of this study was to investigate how tableware made of different materials affects consumers’ sensory perception and emotional and hedonic responses when eating the same meal. In this study, four types of meals of animal or plant origin were selected for the experiments, which were served warm or cold. Accordingly, four groups of university students were instructed to taste the corresponding meal while using three sets of tableware made of different materials: polypropylene, wood/cardboard, and a stainless steel/ceramic/glass control set (regular set). Overall, the results suggest that the use of regular tableware elicited a positive emotional profile, while the use of disposable, wooden, and plastic tableware elicited negative emotional responses, which is consistent with the acceptability of the meal samples—regular tableware received higher ratings, while both types of disposable tableware received lower ratings. Finally, the material of the tableware only led to changes in odor and flavor perception when warm-served meals were sampled—higher intensities were reported when students used the regular tableware sets. Wooden cutlery imparted an atypical woody flavor to the meals, regardless of the type of meal.