The impact of food variety on taste identification and preferences: Evidence from the Cook Islands Archipelago

Food perception is shaped by many factors including genes, geographical location, social and cultural influences, and food availability. Interactions among these factors can result in cross-cultural differences in taste preferences. However, understanding how any single factor accounts for cross-cultural variability is difficult when comparing societies that are both geographically and culturally distinct. Here, to more directly test how food availability influences taste identification and taste preferences, we analyzed two populations living in the same geographical region (Cook Islands Archipelago, South Pacific Ocean) and within the same culture, but differing in terms of food availability. Taste identification and preferences were compared between inhabitants of Rarotonga Island (n = 34) who have regular access to diverse food supplies, and Penrhyn Island (n = 29) whose access to diverse food products is extremely limited. Participants were asked to recognize sprays containing five basic food tastants and to indicate their preference for each taste and frequency of its ingestion. We found that food availability did not influence basic taste identification. Group differences in taste preferences were limited to sourness, which was preferred relatively more by Rarotonga inhabitants who enjoy broader food access. Our results suggest that mere variety of available food is not an essential factor in shaping taste preferences.

Automated summary

Food perception is influenced by factors such as genes, geographical location, social and cultural influences, and food availability. Understanding the impact of individual factors on cross-cultural taste preferences is difficult when comparing geographically and culturally distinct societies. This study compares taste identification and preferences between two populations living in the same geographical region and culture but differing in food availability. The results indicate that food availability does not significantly affect basic taste identification, and taste preference differences are limited to sourness.