The development and decline of multisensory flavour perception Assessing the role of visual (colour) cues on the perception of taste and flavour

© Oxford University Press 2012. All rights reserved. This chapter reviews the evidence concerning the development and decline of multisensory flavour perception. The emphasis is on the role of visual cues, especially colour. Taken together, the available research suggests that the influence of visual cues on multisensory flavour perception decline during the course of childhood, and increases once again in old age. The latter developmental change is presumably driven by the decline of gustation and olfaction increasingly seen in people who live past the age of 60- 70 years. Limitations with the interpretation of previous studies are highlighted and numerous suggestions for future research made. The tricky question of whether vision's influence on multisensory flavour perception is best conceptualized in terms of multisensory integration or expectation effects is also discussed.