We examined the effects of the phantom snacking experience and mastication behavior on human emotions using a compact electroencephalography (EEG) and a KANSEI analyzer. Forty participants were divided into young adult and middle-aged groups. All participants experienced both mastication and phantom snacking. We extracted the emotional parameters from the EEG. There were no significant differences in the levels of alertness, concentration, liking, and stress between the mastication and phantom snacking experiences of younger adults. In the middle-aged group, the interest level was significantly higher, the alertness level was significantly lower, and the stress level tended to be lower in the phantom snacking group than in the mastication group. The interest level tended to be higher, the alertness, and stress levels were significantly lower in the middle-aged phantom snacking group when compared to the younger adult phantom snacking group. Our findings reveal that phantom snacking, similar to mastication, can have a positive effect on the emotions of young adults, and the effects of phantom snacking were better than those of mastication in the middle-aged individuals. Phantom snacking may be a practical method to increase interest, improve work efficiency, and decrease psychological stress.
