In The Shangri-La Diet I argue that the obesity epidemic is due to what I call ditto food: Food that tastes exactly the same each time. Just as you will make a very deep hole with a gun if you hit exactly the same spot each time you fire it, you will produce a very strong flavor-calorie association if you eat a food that tastes exactly the same each time.
The experience of a Colorado man supports this idea. He went to a doctor because of shortness of breath. He didn’t smoke. His test results resembled those of workers in microwave popcorn factories, who often have lung damage because of exposure to a flavoring chemical. The doctor asked the man if he was around a lot of popcorn. “How could you possibly know that about me?” the man said. “I am Mr. Popcorn.” He had eaten microwave popcorn twice a day or more for at least 10 years. When he stopped, he lost 50 pounds in six months. Apparently he made no other changes.
I find your experiments and theories quite intriguing, albeit I remain skeptical.
However, the research discussed in this article seems to provide support for a generalization of your theory involving the sense of sight!
https://www.guardian.co.uk/uk_news/story/0,,2157226,00.html