According to current research findings, elderly persons who were exposed to food flavours from their youth were able to “time travel” back in time with an enhanced memory of the event. Professor Corina Sas of Lancaster University, Dr Tom Gayler, previously of Lancaster University, and Vaiva Kalnikaite of Dovetailed Ltd published “It brought me back 25 years in one bound”: self-generated flavor-based signals for self-defining memories in later life in Human-Computer Interaction. Their research looked on the viability of 3D printed flavor-based signals for memory recall in the elderly.
They collected 72 memories from 12 older persons, half of which involved food and half of which did not, and each was recalled twice. This included eating strawberries in a hospital after giving birth to eating barbecued mackerel at a golden wedding.
For food memory, the researchers collaborated with the participants to develop unique flavor-based cues for each of them. The 3D printed flavor-based cues are little, gel-like, edible balls that mimic the original dish, but are easier to swallow with more powerful flavours and do not require all of the components and processing.
“Our findings indicate that personalised 3D printed flavor-based cues have rich sensorial and emotional qualities that support strong recollective retrieval, particularly when they distinctively match the food in the original experience and prompt emotionally positive self-defining memories,” said Professor Sas. When prompted by flavor-based cues, all of the individuals were able to provide full sensory reports, with the majority of the elements missing from the previous free recall.
One participant recalled a Green Thai curry supper in Cambodia: “We walked into the cooking area, which was extremely rudimentary, and prepared all sorts of types of green veggies, which I have no idea what they were, sitting on the floor.” And then we’d help cook them, stir fry them, and finally dish them.
However, after being exposed to the 3D printed flavor-based cue of the Green Thai curry, the participant recalled “the slicing noises of cutting up the veggies, myself sitting cross-legged on the floor with my companion, speaking together.” And then when we went out, we put food on the tables, and the rest of the group came out, and we sat on long tables outdoors, in front of the school, to eat.”
The enormous number of memories triggered by flavours that were recalled with intense sentiments of being transported back in time was a startling result.
“The roast meat and horseradish cue took me back 25 years in one bound…” said one participant. I could seat myself at the room’s table… I ate it, and it elicited a powerful reaction from me out of all of my memories. Just suddenly I was back.”
Interestingly, simply eating the cue was perceived as a bodily re-enactment of the original event: “It just kind of activates a couple additional sensations.” Perhaps you envision yourself there while tasting it.”
According to the researchers, their findings are especially relevant to dementia. Based on their own experiences caring for loved ones, participants discussed the significance of culinary memories.
“As soon as she smelled and tasted the meal, she would say something like, ‘Oh, this is like old fashioned stuff,'” said one participant whose mother has Alzheimer’s. This transports me back in time.’ She had a feeling it was something she had a long time ago.”
Another person recommended creating a scrapbook of food memories to help people with dementia recall past events.
“The 3D printed flavours cued recollective recollection, prompting sensorially rich and intense pleasant emotional memories that participants genuinely liked,” stated Professor Sas.
“Working alongside individuals to generate flavor-based cues showed how powerful but underutilised this link is,” Dr. Gayler added. Our design approach helped bridge this gap and revealed the possibility for future applications to construct rich, multi-sensory memory aides.”
“We finally have technology that can help re-construct memories utilising the flavour and aroma of different foods in extremely compact sizes,” stated Dr. Vaiva Kalnikait. These are the most powerful cues for us to remember.”
(source : ANI)
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