The effect of the color red on consuming food does not depend on achromatic (Michelson) contrast and extends to rubbing cream on the skin

Appetite
Volume 71, 1 December 2013, Pages 307–313
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.appet.2013.08.012

Nicola Bruno, Margherita Martani, Claudia Corsini, Claudio Oleari

Dipartimento di Neuroscienze
Unità di Psicologia
Università di Parma
Borgo Carissimi 10
43100 Parma
Italy

Highlights

• We replicate the effect of the color red on food consumption in a different setting.
• We show that a similar effect can be observed for the consumption of moisturizing cream.
• We make a conceptual distinction between achromatic (luminance) and chromatic (color per se) contrast.
• We show that these effects are not due to achromatic contrast.

Abstract

Recent literature suggests that individuals may consume less food when this is served on red plates. We explored this intriguing effect in three experiments. Independent groups of participants were presented with constant amounts of popcorns, chocolate chips, or moisturizing cream, on red, blue, or white plates. They were asked to sample the foods (by tasting them) or the cream (by rubbing it on the hand and forearm) as they wished and to complete mock “sensory analysis” questionnaires. Results confirmed that red plates reduce taste-related consumption and extended this effect to the touch-related consumption of moisturizing cream. Suggesting that the effect was not due to a decrease in the consciously experienced appeal of products on red plates, overall appreciation of the foods or cream did not differ according to plate color. After careful photometric measures of the materials used for each food-plate pairing, we determined that food and cream consumption was not predicted by Michelson (achromatic) contrast. Although the origin of the intriguing effect of the color red on consumption remains unclear, our results may prove useful to future potential explanations.

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S019566631300370X