Matters of Taste

Slimy, gooey or mushy foods are the most likely to disgust. So say researchers involved in an Australian-Canadian joint project. They quashed the long-held belief that taste is what turns the people off food. The strongest component to bring on the "yuck" reaction is the texture. After presenting people with unfamiliar foods, that were labeled with fake names, the researchers asked them what they couldn't eat and why. In the majority of the cases the reasoning was that they didn't like the way the food "felt in their mouth." The researchers feel that it's important to be exposed to different textures from a young age.