Relationship between tactile stimuli and basic tastes: CATA with consumers with visual disability

The sensation of touch can play an important role in generating expectations when coming into contact with the food packaging or the food itself, especially in people with visual impairment. The aim of the present study was to determine the relationship between some tactile sensations and the five basic tastes in visually impaired consumers. A check all that apply (CATA) test was adapted to explore the basic tastes‐tactile stimuli relationship in this consumer segment. Also, a second CATA test was conducted to determine the best descriptors for the tactile sensations related with the basic tastes. Results of the first test showed a relationship among some of the basic tastes with singular tactile sensations, sweetness, and bitterness being the main drivers of the difference. Descriptors such as “smooth,” “velvety,” or “silky” were used to describe the tactile stimuli related to sweetness, while “rough,” “sandy,” or “hard” were used to describe the ones related to bitterness. Practical applications Results of the present study could be useful for the packaging industry, providing valuable information for developing new ways of generating expectations, and maybe enhancing some basic tastes, especially for blind consumers. Hospitality and restaurant businesses could also benefit from the results of this study by providing new ideas about developing multimodal experiences for diners. In addition, an example of a CATA adapted methodology is described in the manuscript, showing a friendly and sensitive manner of working with visually impaired consumers.