Background music enhances the taste of food

A bit of background music can be thoroughly enjoyable while eating — but can it also enhance the taste of the food?

Charles Spence, a professor of experimental psychology at the University of Oxford, has long been convinced it can.

He says the sounds around you — as well as the colour of the room — affect the flavours of what you eat.

Now, the university has gone one step further and paired certain genres — and even artists — with certain cuisines.

The ‘gastrophysics’ report, for example, finds that listening to pop music — such as Taylor Swift of Ed Sheeran — will enhance your enjoyment of a Chinese takeaway.

The study involved 700 volunteers who ordered takeaways and listened to songs from six genres and were then asked to rate the dishes on a scale of one to 10.

Some pairings seem to make more sense than others; classical music is apparently best paired with Italian and, specifically, Pavarotti with pasta.

Rock’n’roll — in the form of Bruce Springsteen — and jazz, such as Nina Simone, reportedly made Indian food taste even spicier.

“Nobody has looked at spiciness and music before,” Prof Spence told The Times.

“We found that if there is music that is more alerting, more arousing, then people appreciate spicier food more.

“How soundscapes and music come together with taste to make the whole experience more stimulating, more enjoyable and possibly even more memorable. It is a kind of digital seasoning.”

The professor has worked with Heston Blumenthal and former El Bulli chef Ferran Adria while examining at aural influences on the palate.

He added that diners should avoid Justin Bieber and Beyonce when eating. “Don’t play Justin Bieber when you order a takeaway,” Prof Spence said, noting that the singer turned people off food.

And he said hip hop and r’n’b had no noticeable impact on people’s enjoyment of dining.