Does the Color of Food affect whether we like them or not?

There is a well-known phenomenon called "sensory synesthesia," which means sensory experiences combine in a way that normally should not. For example, some people "see" colors when they hear music. In the context of food, there are a couple senses commonly at play.

Smell: One sense that influences our perceptions of taste is smell. While we normally think we just taste food, about 80% of our perception is olfactory. One aspect of smell that affects our perception of taste is the smell of decay, which typically has an adverse effect on our perception of taste, whether or not the food has in fact spoiled.

Sight: Another sense that influences our perceptions of taste is sight. For instance, in one experiment, participants were served scrambled eggs that had food coloring of either a normal shade of orange, or an "abnormal" shade of blue or green. The people who were served the blue or green scrambled eggs described a flavor that was significantly more bitter.

While it's common knowledge that the senses interact, it's interesting to note that just the color of food can completely alter our perception of its taste. If you're trying a new food that has a flavor you're not accustomed to, it might help to pay attention to the color and if you associate it with anything in particular. Who knows, you might find some interesting and unexpected links.