Gastrophysics: a new scientific approach to eating

Book section

Internet-based testing techniques are increasingly allowing chefs to optimize the visual presentation of their food online. This scientific approach to plating is part of the emerging field of gastrophysics, namely the application of psychophysical testing techniques to the design of enhanced food experiences. Here, three rules of thumb concerning the preferred orientation of food on the plate that have been identified by the research are outlined, namely: (1) angular elements on the plate are preferred when they point away from the diner/viewer; (2) people typically exhibit a preference for those elements on the plate that ascend to the right (rather than to the left); (3) people also exhibit a preference when linear/rectangular food presentations are aligned along the horizontal/vertical axis, rather than when they are oriented away from these principal axes.

Authors: Spence, C

• Publication status: Published
• Peer review status: Peer reviewed
• Publisher: Routledge
• Host title: Handbook of Molecular Gastronomy Scientific Foundations, Educational Practices, and Culinary Applications
• Publication date: 2021-06-09
• Acceptance date: 2019-09-28
• Edition: 1st
• EISBN: 9780429168703
• ISBN: 1466594780
• Language: English