Does background music affect the sensory perception of coffee?
The undergraduate winner was James Gater, of Sheffield Hallam University, with an innovative take on the influence of types of background music on the sensory perception of coffee. James’ tests were conducted using sensory analysis booths and specialist data collection software at the university. James, 21, originally from Stoke-on-Trent, said, ‘I was interested in how background music can have an effect on how people appreciate coffee. I found there was more interaction when jazz music was playing in the background. ‘Most people associate drinking coffee with a café environment, so jazz was definitely the most suitable form of music identified in my study.’ Dr Kritika Mahadevan, James’s research supervisor, said, ‘When people drink coffee they experience the smell of coffee, its taste and astringency through their senses. James measured any changes in the intensity of coffee aroma and flavour, bitter taste and astringency perceived by panellists over a period of 10 minutes in the pres
