Damaged fruit is also good for health

Our brains do tricks on us. When he chooses his fruits during races, he pushes us towards the fruit that looks most beautiful to us, thinking that it is wrong and good. “We choose food based on the expectation of its taste that is tied to our senses. So if we think that brown bananas do not match the taste of yellow bananas, we will go for the next one.”, Karin Wendin is a professor in the Department of Food Sciences at the University of Copenhagen and co – author of a study published in the January edition of the Journal. Food quality and preference On food waste.

The first impression is decisive

Each year, about 10 million tons of food products are thrown away in France, of which 31% are vegetables and 19% fruits. “Injured or strangely shaped fruits can be easily used, Discourages the researcher. They usually taste like pretty patterns. And in cases where an apple is bruised or has a little flour in the shape, it can still be used for juice or pie. When a ‘loosy’ piece of fruit is thrown away, it turns into food waste, which is a big deal – including financially. Therefore we must work to re-evaluate our feelings about brown and odd shaped fruits.. ”

In this study, 130 participants were asked to rate a series of pictures of different types of apples. Apples with defects and defects are at the bottom of the rankings according to the number of participants who prefer to eat them. Participants then had to taste a different apple. It was then clear that their choice had been wrongly influenced by first impression. “When attendees see a photo of an ugly apple, when they taste something that is green and perfect, they believe it tastes bad., And observed by Karin Wendin. It shows how much our sense of taste and our psychology take into account.. We remember negative feelings and expectations more than positive ones. ”

Communicate well

Researchers believe that there is a need to raise awareness about these foods in order to limit food waste. In particular, they call for supermarkets to be able to communicate more clearly on how to avoid waste. “If this is the case, then communication about our diet – and good or bad – will not work., Karin Wendin insisted. People do not know where to find suggestions. Some people look online for food recommendations on their government website. For example, did you know that even though the two products have the same taste, the unripe fruit is less expensive than its perfect neighbors?”