Does exposure enhance liking for the chilli burn?

It has been suggested that merely being exposed to a novel stimulus can enhance liking for it. Two experiments explored this hypothesis in relation to the development of liking for the chilli burn in a two-course meal. In the first experiment there was a linear increase in rated liking for the burning sensation produced by 2·5 and 5·0 ppm capsaicin between the first and the fifth exposure to an experimental meal, whereas no significant change was seen for the vehicle food or the preceding non-chilli flavoured food. In the second experiment a similar linear trend was observed with the 5·0 ppm stimulus. However, liking and sensory ratings for an ascending capsaicin concentration series in a tomato juice vehicle tested before and after the exposure period were unaffected by any change in liking for the chilli burn in food. This experiment also suggested that increases in liking were not dependent on initial unfamiliarity with the chilli burn or on changes in rated burn intensity or arousal. Potential explanations for the observed effects are considered.