Exploring the Effects of Immersive VR Environmental Color on Multisensory Food Experience Under Sitting and Simulated Microgravity Analogue Conditions

In microgravity environments, altered bodily states may affect sensory perception and eating experiences. This study examined the effects of environmental color on multisensory flavor evaluation in immersive virtual reality under sitting posture (SP) and a short-term head-down bed rest (HDBR) analog condition. Twenty healthy adults evaluated the same beverage across nine environmental colors. Color significantly influenced all sensory attributes and overall preference. Green and yellow were associated with higher sourness, red and orange with higher sweetness, blue with higher pungency, gray with higher bitterness, and yellow with higher aroma intensity and preference. HDBR was associated with higher sweetness but lower aroma intensity and preference. A significant Color × Posture interaction was found only for sourness. Associations of sourness, sweetness, and aroma with preference also differed between postures. These findings highlight environmental color and physical posture as relevant factors when designing immersive multisensory eating experiences for space-analog settings.