There is an interest for the food industry to develop products that
are perceived as being refreshing since this is a current strong
consumer demand. Evaluation of refreshing perception (and/or
related sensory determinants) is often conducted using declarative,
self-administered questionnaires. These may include questions about
thirst/thirst-quenching and mental fatigue/alertness and may be
further complemented by neurophysiological measurements to help
identify brain regions involved in refreshing perception. It is
important to control internal state parameters such as hydration
level and environment conditions such as room temperature, as these
factors may have an influence on refreshing perception as detailed in
this review. In addition, the use of a food habits questionnaire could
provide additional information regarding the impact of food experience
on sensory determinants of refreshing.
For a better understanding of refreshing perception, some new
avenues of research are worth exploring. We suggest some insight on
these below.