A fascinating new initiative by University of Bristol researcher Dr Natalie Hyacinth shows how the right piece of music can make chocolate taste better. Her work builds on decades of research into multisensory integration, the idea that our senses blend together to alter perception.

The Sonic sweet-spot

Hyacinth found that smooth, melodic music in a major key helps chocolate taste sweeter and creamier , whereas harsh or staccato sounds can sharpen bitterness. To bring this into the real world, confectioner Galaxy Chocolate commissioned a 90-second track, titled “Sweetest Melody” , timed to the approximate duration a piece of chocolate melts on your tongue. It’s set at about 78 BPM and features piano for smoothness, harp and strings for decay and richness.

Why it matters

The study

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