Blind Taste Testing

 Aim:

I want to find out if the food tastes different when you can't see or smell.

Research: 

                                              Funny Eating

Science of tasting

Blind Eating Experiment

Method:

Equipment:

- Blindfold

- Mystery food

Instructions:

- Get your equipment.

- Wash your hands.

- Put your blindfold on.

- Put your hand out and pinch your nose.

- Eat what you got given on your hands and put it in your mouth.

- Release your nose and taste the food

- Where does the food react on your tongue.

Results:

food #1 - sugar - tasted sugary with nose blocked and the same when unblocked.

food #2 - Salt - tasted Vinegary and bitter when nose was block and unblocked.

food #3 - Baking powder - tasted dark when the nose was blocked and unblocked.

food #4 - citric acid - tasted so sour and bitter when the nose was blocked and unblocked

food #5 - powdered gummy bear - tasted a bit sour and chew when the nose was blocked and unblocked

food #6 - burger ring - tasted flavoury and weird when the nose was blocked and unblocked

food #7 - dry Marshmellow - tasted sugary and nice when the nose was blocked and unblocked

food #8 - apple slice - tasted sweet and bitter when the nose was blocked and unblocked 

food #9 - unpowdered gummy bear - tasted sweet and dry when the nose was blocked and unblocked 

food #10 - pear slice - tasted a little bit sweet but mostly sweet when the nose was blocked and unblocked.

food #11 - chocolate - tasted sweet and yum when the nose was blocked and unblocked.

food #12 - Lemon - tasted sour and bitter when the nose was blocked and unblocked.

Discussion:

 

is there a difference between blocked and unblocked nose taste?

yes

Why?

blocking your nose does not fully block your ability to taste. Because the throat and nose share the same airway, chewing some foods allows aromas to get the nose through the back of the mouth even when you block your nose. 

And our sense of smell is responsible for about 75% - 95% of what we taste.

Did the sweet, bitter, sour salt, tastes react on different parts of your tongue?

where?

there are 5 basic tastes - sweet, bitter, sour, salty, umami.

and you taste those in different places of your tongue

Hot Chilli

 Aim:

I want to find out the best way to cool down your tongue after eating hot chili.

Research: 

 Funny

science

Experiment

Method:

Equipment:

- Hot Chili Sauce

- Popsicle stick

- Drinks - Soda, Water, Milk

- Timer

Instructions:

1. get your equipment.

2. get a drop of hot sauce on your popsicle stick.

3. Lick the hot chili sauce and swirl it around your mouth.

4. start the timer.

5. after 2 minutes drink your drink.

6. after 5 minutes, how hot is your mouth?

7. repeat the experiment, but with a different drink.

Results:

1st chili - no drink: 8/10 - stopped burning at 3 minutes

2nd chili - water: 6/10 - still extra chili leftover from 1st try, still burning at the end. had water after 4 minutes.

3rd chili - coke - 5/10 - burns more than the first ones, went straight down my throat, the drink did not cool it down even though I had two.

Last Chili - milk - at first it was still burning from the leftovers, but then at 2 minutes when we drank the milk it only helped a little but the last drink helped more than the first drink - 5.5/10

Discussion:

why does chili burn your mouth? capsaicin makes your mouth feel like it's on fire because the capsaicin molecule can fit into your receptors perfectly (receptors - the end of any nerve on your body) and when this happens it triggers your receptors, which send a signal to your brain, fooling it into thinking that your mouth is literally burning.

(what is capsaicin?) capsaicin is an active part of chili peppers, which are plants that belong to the capsicum, capsaicin is a chemical irritant for mammals, even humans.

why did the milk reduce the burn?

Casein, Many milk-based products can help break down the capsaicin. You can think of casein as a detergent, helps wash away the capsaicin molecules, similar to how soap washes away grease.