August 23/London/Press Association Mediapoint -- Ice cream can trigger emotions linked to its place of origin, according to a survey.

Cornish ice cream may conjure up visions of beaches and seaside towns, while Italian ice cream with its swirls creates images of "bright and interesting" Naples, the study found.

The emotions generated vary from one kind of ice cream to another, according to a study of 10,000 adults by Kelly's of Cornwall Ice Cream, which was followed by analysis from food psychologist Greg Tucker.

The findings included:* Eating ice cream made in Cornwall with its waves of dairy creaminess, creates a "Cornish state of mind" -- relaxed, happy and stress free.
* Eating ice cream from Scotland with its sweet, milky taste conjures up feelings of indulgence.
* American-style ice cream, which contains chunks or pieces, results in feeling "frenetic and busy" -- a bit like a "modern teenager."
* Italian gelato, with its swirls, creates feelings of sophistication and indulgence, and conjures up images of Naples as being "bright and interesting."
* Northerners love the softness of Cornish ice cream, because they are naturally attuned to softer, more moist food, developed over hundreds of years of particular eating habits, and combined with the softer water of the north.

The study explored ice cream eating behavior with two targeted study groups in London and Manchester.  

From the August 24, 2010, Prepared Foods' Daily News
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