Food - Drink
Why Does Tomato Juice Taste Better On An Airplane?
By TALIN VARTANIAN
Due to the low humidity and low pressure inside the cabin, eating food on an airplane is like eating food when you have a cold, where nothing seems to taste good. However, you might have heard that consuming tomato juice on an airplane tastes like magic.
Interestingly enough, cabin noise affects how we taste certain kinds of foods, and it causes sweet flavors to plummet. While salty, sour, and bitter flavors stay about the same, foods rich in umami will heighten immensely, including tomatoes and tomato juice.
At 85 decibels, the noise level on a plane flying at 575 mph, you'll taste rich umami flavors, stronger acidity, and "mineralic" notes in tomato juice. Even if tomato juice’s earthy flavors don't appeal to you on the ground, try ordering tomato juice on a plane next time, and you might leave refreshingly surprised.