Food Sound: The Hidden Sound of Food Exhibition at MUSE Trento

The MUSE science museum in Trento, Italy, is hosting 'Food Sound. Il suono nascosto del cibo', an exhibition exploring the relationship between sound and food. Conceived by Vincenzo Guarneri, the show was inspired by children mistaking the noise of fryers for crying. Scientific research, including work by Charles Spence, a pioneer of neurogastronomy from the University of Oxford, demonstrates that sound can alter taste perception—for instance, increasing the pleasure of drinking wine by 15%. Massimiliano Zampini, head of the scientific committee, notes that amplifying the sound of carbonated water bubbles enhances perceived effervescence, and altering the sound of chewing an apple changes perceived quality. The exhibition features immersive audio experiences using supraGuide SPHERIC headphones that spatialize sound across reconstructed environments. Accompanying events include performances by Food Ensemble, Donpasta, and the Vegetable Orchestra, which builds instruments from vegetables like carrots and leeks.