At around 10,000 meters above sea level, food smells and tastes different than at a beautifully set table in our favorite Italian restaurant. Sitting at cruising altitude in an airplane, we don't react as sensitively to the senses of "sweet" and "salty," and generally don't perceive aromas as intensely as we would in a normal environment.

This phenomenon is related to the fact that the icy air drawn in from outside has to be warmed for the cabin, during which a significant amount of moisture is extracted. Consequently, the humidity inside the aircraft is only about ten percent. This causes our mucous membranes to dry out despite increased fluid intake through drinking. As a result, our ability to perceive gustatory stimuli is reduced at cruising altitude. Interestingly, we taste sweet or salty flavors considerably less intensely; however, the perception of bitter stimuli remains virtually the same in the air as on the ground.

Preparing a meal that appeals to passengers on an airplane presents a significant challenge for airline catering companies. Typically, dishes are significantly salted or sweetened. However, the goal is not simply to make the food taste salty, but also to allow the flavors to be clearly perceptible. The use of the right fat plays a crucial role here. While industrially produced seed oils or olive oils with sensory defects cannot mask their often pronounced oxidation notes (rancidity) even at an altitude of 10 kilometers, thus detracting from the overall quality of the dish, good, flawless extra virgin olive oil, depending on the specific product chosen, can enhance the inherent flavor of the dish or add an extra dimension. The real challenge now lies in selecting the olive oil that delivers the best sensory performance at cruising altitude.

The olive oil competence center evoo ag has a deep understanding of the physical and sensory principles underlying this challenge and can help airline catering companies and airlines to improve the palatability of meals for passengers on board. Renowned, high-performing partners (olive oil producers, master chefs, sensory experts, chemists, food technologists) are available to evoo ag for projects of this kind.