The Impact of Wine Effervescence Levels on Perceived Palatability with Salty and Bitter Foods

Abstract

This study looks at the relationship among wine effervescence levels with food saltiness and food bitterness. Twenty-six individuals participated in this experimental study assessing increases or decreases in palatability of highly salty or highly bitter foods when consumed with wine. As a whole, our two hypotheses were partially supported. High effervescence provided a palette cleansing effect with highly salty foods and the negative impact of bitter food was lessened when combined with moderate to high levels effervescence. However, the level of effervescence in wine was partially eroded by the presence of other interacting characteristics.

KEYWORDS:

• effervescence in wine
• salty foods
• bitter foods
• interactions

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank Kaye Chon and Jaksa Kivela of Hong Kong Polytechnic University for their assistance in making this study possible.