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Abstract #2893

The Effect of Fat on the Cortical Response to Flavour

Sally Eldeghaidy1, 2, Luca Marciani, 13, Tracey Hollowood4, Kay Head1, Johanneke Busch5, Andrew J. Taylor4, Tim Foster6, Robin C. Spiller3, Joanne

1Sir Peter Mansfield Magnetic Resonance Centre, School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, United Kingdom; 2Department of Physics , Suez Canal University, Ismailia, Egypt; 3Nottingham Digestive Diseases Centre NIHR Biomedical Research Unit,, Nottingham University Hospitals, Nottinghamshire, United Kingdom; 4Sensory Science Centre, Division of Food Sciences, University of Nottingham, Loughborough, Leicestershire, United Kingdom; 5Unilever R&D, Vlaardingen, Netherlands; 6Division of Food Sciences, University of Nottingham, Loughborough, Leicestershire, United Kingdom


The increase understanding of the impact of fat on the flavour perception could assist the design of food products that are lower in fat but still rewarding to eat. Here, we mapped the cortical representation to no flavoured fat, flavoured no fat, iso-release and perceived flavoured fat emulsions. We show that the presence of fat in the oral cavity reduces the cortical response to flavour, particularly in the primary taste areas and anterior cingulate, even when samples are iso-perceived (or volatile release) for sweetness, flavour and thickness.