Nofima Mat performs research in the field of contextual factors. We have carried out studies to find out how situations influence acceptance of products. We have carried out such situation tests of wine and cheese, for example. Not unexpectedly, people like the wine better when they drink it in good company. The effect of peripheral factors, such as accompaniments and social situation, is actually just as great as the effect of variations in taste between different wines. But for cheese, for example, the effect on taste preference is different from the effect for wine. Surveys show that Norwegian gulost tastes just as good whether we are at a cheese party or sitting alone in the kitchen. So it is important to choose the right approach when testing products on consumers.
