Blame the roar of the engines. Cornell University food scientists say airplane noise, which tends to hover around 85 decibels, can affect travelers' taste buds — suppressing their taste for sweet stuff and boosting the taste of umami-rich foods like tomato juice.
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Tomato juice has a strong flavour that can still be tasted at high altitudes, making it a satisfying beverage choice for passengers. Additionally, tomato juice is a good source of hydration, which is especially important during air travel, as the cabin environment can be dehydrating.
The dry cabin air messes with our odor receptors, and since things taste differently when our sense of smell is impaired—think about eating when you have a cold—food tastes blander on a plane than it does on the ground. That same principle is what makes tomato juice taste better in the air.
Rumor has it that Bloody Mary mix was first offered in the air in the early '60s when an American Airlines exec sampled Mr. and Mrs. T and immediately contracted the mix for the entire fleet. American now serves Campbell's, which makes the stuff only because it was persuaded to do so specifically for airlines.
The noise on an airplane can make your Bloody Mary taste better, according to a new study by Cornell University. Pictured is a Cole's regular Bloody Mary in Los Angeles.
To be extra safe, the CUNY researchers advised people never to drink water onboard a plane that does not come from a sealed bottle. They also said passengers should not drink coffee or tea brewed on their flight, and that they should even use hand sanitizer instead of washing their hands with onboard water.
As a caveat, she noted that drinks with too much acid (such as tomato juice or citrus juice) can result in an upset stomach or heartburn if you're susceptible to these issues. Grosskopf said that a bloody mary, gin and tonic, Moscow mule, and a mimosa are all “safe bets” on flights.
Tomato juice tastes better on a plane because the strong, natural flavours of tomato juice taste more intense and satisfying when your taste buds are being suppressed by cabin pressure. This also explains why aeroplane food tastes bland.
You never know how clean the seat is going to be - so if you have pants, you're going to have less germs. Essentially, by covering your legs, you minimise the amount of contact you have with the seat on a plane - something that's not always clean.
On a long-haul flight, there will be two crew meals for each crew member. These look the same as passenger meals on trays but feature slightly different cuisine. There will be a choice of some kind of meat or vegetarian. The crew will decide between themselves who wants what.
Just remember, as small as they are, the syrups, bitters, and Bloody Mary mixes in the kits are liquids, so don't forget to pack these with your other carry-on liquids.