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Caramel as a Model System for Evaluating the Roles of Mechanical Properties and Oral Processing on Sensory Perception of Texture
Disclaimer: Dr. Herbert Stone served as Scientific Editor and Dr. Russell Keast as Associate Editor overseeing single-blinded review of this manuscript. It is the policy of JFS to blind Editorial Board members from the peer-review process of their own submissions, just as all authors are blinded.
Abstract
Food formulation can have a significant impact on texture perception during oral processing. We hypothesized that slight modifications to caramel formulations would significantly alter mechanical and masticatory parameters, which can be used to explain differences in texture perception. A multidisciplinary approach was applied by evaluating relationships among mechanical properties, sensory texture, and oral processing. Caramels were utilized as a highly adhesive and cohesive model system and the formulation was adjusted to generate distinct differences in sensory hardness and adhesiveness. Descriptive analysis was used to determine sensory texture, and mechanical properties were evaluated by oscillatory rheology, creep recovery, and pressure sensitive tack measurements. Oral processing was measured by determining activity of anterior temporalis and masseter muscles via electromyography and tracking jaw movement during chewing. The substitution of agar or gelatin for corn syrup at 0.6% w/w of the total formulation resulted in increased sensory hardness and decreased adhesiveness. Creep recovery and pressure sensitive tack testing were more effective at differentiating among treatments than oscillatory rheology. Hardness correlated inversely with creep compliance, and both stickiness and tooth adhesiveness correlated with pressure sensitive adhesive force. Harder samples, despite being less adhesive, were associated with increased muscle activity and jaw movement during mastication. Tooth packing, not linked with any mechanical property, correlated with altered jaw movement. The combination of material properties and oral processing parameters were able to explain all sensory texture differences in a highly adhesive food.
Practical Applications
Food structure, texture, and oral processing are important parameters for the assessment of food quality, satiation and satiety, and acceptance of foods within certain population segments. Understanding how oral processing is altered due to compositional changes will provide a better understanding of texture perception during oral processing. This study provides insight into the relationships among mechanical properties, sensory perception, and oral processing, which can be used to better understand the mechanisms responsible for the adhesive and cohesive properties of foods and help design textures for specific food applications.