WE ALL KNOW someone who is particular about the type of knives and fork they use.

Be it matching designs, certain sizes or weights, some people are just funny that way. But, they might have a point.

New research from the University of Oxford suggests that the taste, or a person’s perception of the taste, of food can be affected by the size, weight, colour and shape of cutlery.

New research printed in food science journal Flavour suggests that the  colour of glasses that drinks are served in also matters.

Drinks served in cold coloured glasses were rated more refreshing.

The weight and color of a plate can also alter how dense, salty or sweet food tastes. The research found that foods such as yogurt tasted differently based on the weight and density of the cutlery used. A heavier spoon, for example, made the yogurt taste less thick and cheaper, whereas when eaten with a plastic spoon, it tasted denser and more expensive.

Researchers Dr Vanessa Harrar and Professor Charles Spence, who carried out the research said that we don’t simply eat food with our mouths.

“How we experience food is a multisensory experience involving taste, feel of the food in our mouths, aroma, and the feasting of our eyes. Even before we put food into our mouths our brains have made a judgment about it, which affects our overall experience.

So, when serving a dish, one should keep in mind that the color of the food appears different depending on the background on which it is presented (plate or cutlery) and, therefore, tastes different.

“This may also be used to help control eating patterns such as portion size or how much salt is added to food,” said Dr Harrar.

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