MRI scans show that fat in food can reduce activity in several areas of the brain that are responsible for processing taste, aroma, and reward. The research, reported in the journal Chemosensory Perception, could offer the food industry clues for how to make less fatty food products without negatively affecting their overall taste and enjoyment. The three-year study carried out by the University of Nottingham and the multinational food company Unilever investigated how the brains of a group of participants in their 20s would respond to changes in the fat content of four different fruit emulsions they tasted while under an MRI scanner.
