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Scientists Tested Whether Leftovers Really Taste Better The Next Day. One Dish Stood Out. : ScienceAlert (opens in a new tab)

Scientists Tested Whether Leftovers Really Taste Better The Next Day. One Dish Stood Out. · 2026-10-03

Short answerEvidenceSource

Short answer

Mixed

Mixed.

The claims we could check match the study, but some claims were not covered by the evidence reviewed.

  • 4 supported
  • 2 not covered

Checked against the study summary. The full text wasn't available, so some details couldn't be settled either way.

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Follow the evidence trail
1

The story

Scientists Tested Whether Leftovers Really Taste Better The Next Day. One Dish Stood Out. : ScienceAlert

Scientists Tested Whether Leftovers Really Taste Better The Next Day. One Dish Stood Out. · 2026-10-03

The story’s checkable claims.

Read the original story (opens in a new tab)
2

NewsLink checks it

Mixed

Every claim we could check holds up. Four of six claims match the study. This overall rating is based only on the claims we could check. Two claims the study doesn't address.

  • 4 supported
  • 2 not covered
Open claim evidence
3
Source paper

Source layer

The 7 papers the story cites

Source study separated from background citations.

The research anchor for the report.

Then inspect each claim

Evidence layer

Claim by claim

Each claim gets a verdict. Expand it to see the evidence directly below.

6 claims in this story

Showing all 6 claimsChoose a verdict to focus the list.

Claim 1 of 6Not coveredThe study was posted as a preprint and had not yet undergone peer review.View evidenceHide evidence

Why this verdict

The supplied paper profile is abstract-level scientific evidence and does not state the paper’s posting venue or peer-review status. The document identifier may suggest a preprint source, but the claim that it was posted as a preprint and had not undergone peer review is not verifiable from the supplied profile at this depth.

Claim 2 of 6Not coveredIn the reported comparisons, butter chicken was favored as a leftover in nearly 64 percent of taste comparisons, while overall liking scores did not differ significantly between fresh and day-old samples for any dish.View evidenceHide evidence

As statednearly 64 percent

Why this verdict

The abstract-level profile supports the qualitative parts of the claim: butter chicken was statistically preferred as day-old, and liking ratings showed no fresh-versus-day-old differences within foods. However, the specific magnitude 'nearly 64 percent' is not provided in the abstract profile, which explicitly lacks numerical effect sizes and exact statistics, so the claim as stated is not fully verifiable at this depth.

1

Study evidence

In blinded paired preference tests, the day-old butter chicken sample was statistically preferred over the fresh sample.

“Sixty-five participants completed two sensory sessions involving same-different, paired preference and liking tests.”
2

Study evidence

No evidence of within-food differences in hedonic liking ratings between fresh and day-old samples.

“Sixty-five participants completed two sensory sessions involving same-different, paired preference and liking tests.”
Claim 3 of 6SupportedScientists at Deakin University tested whether leftovers taste better the next day by recruiting people to blind-test fresh dishes against day-old counterparts.View evidenceHide evidence

Why this verdict

The abstract-level profile supports the core methods claim: 65 human participants completed blinded sensory sessions comparing fresh versus day-old versions of four foods, including same–different, paired preference, and liking tests. The Deakin University affiliation is not independently evidenced in the supplied abstract profile, but the study design described by the claim is supported.

1

Study evidence

In blinded same–different discrimination testing, participants discriminated day‑old from fresh samples for dhal, butter chicken and apple crumble.

“This study compared sensory responses to fresh and day-old versions of four commonly cited foods: beef lasagne, butter chicken, dhal and apple crumble.”
2

Study evidence

In blinded paired preference tests, the day-old butter chicken sample was statistically preferred over the fresh sample.

“Sixty-five participants completed two sensory sessions involving same-different, paired preference and liking tests.”
Claim 4 of 6SupportedOnly one test dish, butter chicken, was reliably preferred when eaten as a day-old leftover.View evidenceHide evidence

As statedonly one dish

Why this verdict

The profile states that butter chicken was the only food for which the day-old sample was statistically preferred in blinded paired preference tests, while the other tested foods did not show consistent day-old preference effects.

1

Study evidence

In blinded paired preference tests, the day-old butter chicken sample was statistically preferred over the fresh sample.

“Sixty-five participants completed two sensory sessions involving same-different, paired preference and liking tests.”
Claim 5 of 6SupportedPeople could detect differences for some dishes, including dhal, butter chicken, and apple crumble, but different did not necessarily mean better.View evidenceHide evidence

Why this verdict

The profile reports significant same–different discrimination for dhal, butter chicken, and apple crumble, but also states that discrimination did not consistently translate into preference or liking. This supports the story’s distinction between detecting a difference and judging the leftover version better.

1

Study evidence

In blinded same–different discrimination testing, participants discriminated day‑old from fresh samples for dhal, butter chicken and apple crumble.

“This study compared sensory responses to fresh and day-old versions of four commonly cited foods: beef lasagne, butter chicken, dhal and apple crumble.”
2

Study evidence

In blinded paired preference tests, the day-old butter chicken sample was statistically preferred over the fresh sample.

“Sixty-five participants completed two sensory sessions involving same-different, paired preference and liking tests.”
Claim 6 of 6SupportedThe researchers and article frame the finding as food-specific rather than a general rule for all leftovers.View evidenceHide evidence

Why this verdict

The paper profile explicitly frames the next-day effect as modest and food-specific, and notes that results depend on outcome type: discrimination, paired preference, or liking. The story’s framing as food-specific rather than a universal rule matches the supplied profile.

1

Study evidence

In blinded same–different discrimination testing, participants discriminated day‑old from fresh samples for dhal, butter chicken and apple crumble.

“This study compared sensory responses to fresh and day-old versions of four commonly cited foods: beef lasagne, butter chicken, dhal and apple crumble.”
2

Study evidence

In blinded paired preference tests, the day-old butter chicken sample was statistically preferred over the fresh sample.

“Sixty-five participants completed two sensory sessions involving same-different, paired preference and liking tests.”
Then look for missing context

Context layer

What the story carried across

Nothing material from the study was dropped.

7 things the story did carry across
  • Blinded human sensory study comparing fresh versus day-old versions of four foods, with day-old samples prepared 24 hours earlier, refrigerated, reheated, and served alongside fresh samples.
  • Participants completed multiple sensory outcomes: same–different discrimination, paired preference, and hedonic liking ratings.
  • Same–different discrimination was significant for dhal, butter chicken, and apple crumble, while beef lasagne did not reach significance after correction for repeated responses.
  • Only butter chicken showed a statistically significant paired preference for the day-old sample; the other foods did not show consistent day-old preference effects.
  • Hedonic liking ratings showed no evidence of fresh-versus-day-old differences within foods, although overall liking differed by food type with apple crumble rated highest overall.
  • Discrimination did not consistently translate into preference or liking, so perceptible difference should not be equated with 'better'.
  • Generalizability is limited because only 65 participants and four specific food matrices were tested.
Then read the study layer

Study layer

Study at a glance

Scan the study first. Expand only the parts you want to inspect.

Pieces of work

3

Evidence read

study summary

Lead result

human in vivo

1Lead resulthuman in vivoTest whether blinded participants can perceptually discriminate fresh vs day-old versions of commonly cited foods (next-day effect) using controlled sensory methods.Blinded within-subject sensory discriminationExpand

In plain English

Blinded within-subject sensory study (n=65) compared fresh versus day-old (24 h, refrigerated, reheated) versions of four foods using same–different discrimination alongside paired preference and liking tests. In the same–different analysis, participants discriminated dhal, butter chicken and apple crumble from their fresh counterparts, whereas beef lasagne did not reach significance after correction for repeated responses. Discrimination did not consistently predict preference or liking; butter chicken was the only food with a statistical preference for the day‑old sample, and overall liking differed by food type (apple crumble highest) but not by freshness within foods.

Key findings

  • In blinded same–different discrimination testing, participants discriminated day‑old from fresh samples for dhal, butter chicken and apple crumble.
  • Beef lasagne did not reach statistical significance for discrimination after correction for repeated participant responses.
“This study compared sensory responses to fresh and day-old versions of four commonly cited foods: beef lasagne, butter chicken, dhal and apple crumble.”
What this piece can’t prove
  • Only four specific food matrices were tested (beef lasagne, butter chicken, dhal, apple crumble), limiting generalizability to other foods or preparation methods.

2 further details could not be confirmed from the summary.

2human in vivoTest whether any perceptible differences translate into preference for fresh vs day-old samples under blinded conditions.Blinded paired preference testing; within-subject repeated measuresExpand

In plain English

In blinded, within-subject paired preference tests comparing freshly prepared versus day-old (24 h refrigerated and reheated) versions of four foods (beef lasagne, butter chicken, dhal, apple crumble) with 65 participants across two sensory sessions, only butter chicken showed a statistically significant preference for the day-old sample; other foods did not show consistent preference effects.

Key findings

  • In blinded paired preference tests, the day-old butter chicken sample was statistically preferred over the fresh sample.
  • For the other foods (beef lasagne, dhal, apple crumble) the study did not find consistent day-old versus fresh preference effects in the paired preference tests.
“Sixty-five participants completed two sensory sessions involving same-different, paired preference and liking tests.”
What this piece can’t prove
  • Abstract does not report numerical effect sizes, confidence intervals, or exact p-values for paired preference outcomes.

1 further detail could not be confirmed from the summary.

3human in vivoTest whether fresh vs day-old foods differ in hedonic liking ratings, and characterize overall liking differences across food types.Blinded within-subject sensory evaluation (paired samples) with repeated-measures analysisExpand

In plain English

Blinded, within-subject sensory study (n=65) comparing hedonic liking ratings for fresh versus day-old (24 h refrigerated and reheated) samples of four foods (beef lasagne, butter chicken, dhal, apple crumble). The study found no evidence of within-food fresh vs day-old differences in liking ratings, while overall liking differed across food types (apple crumble rated highest).

Key findings

  • No evidence of within-food differences in hedonic liking ratings between fresh and day-old samples.
  • Overall liking differed across the four food types, with apple crumble rated highest overall.
“Sixty-five participants completed two sensory sessions involving same-different, paired preference and liking tests.”
What this piece can’t prove
  • Study included only four specific food matrices; generalizability to other foods, storage durations, reheating methods, or populations is unknown.

2 further details could not be confirmed from the summary.

Finally, the search trail

Method layer

NewsLink found the paper. Tessa takes you deeper.

NewsLink checks the story. Tessa is where you inspect the paper, authors, evidence, and research context.

Papers considered

The selected paper, plus nearby candidates.

Europe PMC, Crossref · 21 candidate papers

Candidate

Changes in flavour compound profiles of precooked pork after reheating (warmed‐over flavour) using gas chromatography–olfactometry–mass spectrometry with chromatographic feature extraction

International Journal of Food Science & Technology · 2020 · Crossref

Tessa (opens in a new tab)Source (opens in a new tab)

And 15 more candidates considered.