Favourite food tastes are defined by birthplace

Local culture, environment and geographical location have been found to shape a person’s preference toward certain tastes and textures, with each UK region having its own ‘taste dialect’.

Research of 13,000 people commissioned by Costa Coffee​ found that people from different regions favour flavours that impact on particular areas of the tongue.

Scots were found to prefer rich, creamy flavours such as mashed potatoes and ice-cream that are picked up by taste buds on the back of the tongue, while people from the Midlands were more likely to choose semi-sweet foods such as chocolates and spicy foods that impact the front and mid tongue.

Andy Taylor, professor of Flavour Technology at the University of Nottingham​ who helped analyse the results, said: “Taste is determined by our genetic make-up and influenced by our upbringing and experience with flavours. Just as with spoken dialects, where accent is placed on different syllables and vowel formations, people from different regions have developed enhanced sensitivities to certain taste sensations and seek foods that trigger these.”

People from the South West were found to prefer the soft, smooth flavours of fruit, white meats and herbs; Yorkshire and Humberside and the North East the instant impact of foods such as chips, cured meats and pies; people in the North West favoured the soft, sensual tastes of stews, sauces and gravy; Northern Ireland the complex, creamy and comforting tastes of buttered bread, stout, tea and mashed potatoes; and people from Wales were found more likely to choose the tangy tastes of garlic, cheddar cheese and alliums.

The research also found the South to be the hardest region to attribute a taste dialect to, due to the magnitude of various people and cultures from around the UK and abroad.

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