Development of Teeth Probe for Analysis of Correlation between Mechanical and Sensory Properties of Apples

Correlating instrumental measurements and sensory perceptions of foods with different textural properties for people with impaired oral and swallowing capabilities - A review

The rising global life expectancy has underlined the necessity of designing novel and tasty food products, suitable for seniors and people with impaired oral and swallowing functions. For developing these products, texture should be optimised from rheological, colloidal, tribological, and masticatory points of view. The current review provides an overview of different studies based on shear rheological, tribological, and in vitro mastication properties of model or real food systems intended for the elderly and/or people with swallowing dysfunctions, with special emphasis on the relation between the instrumental measurements and sensory perceptions of foods. Several works demonstrated that instrumental data from shear rheological and tribological tests complement the sensory evaluations of foods, providing useful information when designing food commodities for specific populations. Conversely, only few works correlated the instrumental data obtained from artificial mouths and/or simulated masticators with the sensory attributes generated by trained assessors. Broaden knowledge of these topics will help in formulating and adapting foods with enhanced functionalities for people with impaired oral and swallowing capabilities. Shear rheology, soft oral tribology, and simulated mastication tests are crucial in designing safe- and easy-swallowing food products.

Supporting young researchers in food texture studies

I learned about food texture by reading many articles in the Journal of Texture Studies (JTS) and Prof. Bourne's textbook Food Texture and Viscosity, Concept and Measurement. I present here his great contributions as both the Editor-in-Chief of JTS and as the author of a superior textbook in the cultivation of future food texture researchers. Prof. Bourne has provided significant guidance to those in the industry using his textbook to suggest appropriate approaches to measure, evaluate, and alter the textures of agro-products and processed foods. I began my career in food rheology, learned the physiological techniques necessary for measuring mastication, and developed relationships with good sensory scientists along the way. I am happy to offer advice to agriculture and food scientists, researchers, and engineers in the food industry regarding food texture. I would like to be a follower of Prof. Bourne and support young food texture scientists in the 21st century.

PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS

Food texture studies conducted during the last century are beginning to evolve. Based on previous publications in the Journal of Texture Studies, I believe that several areas can be further examined in this century. First, methods to evaluate the textures of heterogeneous materials, such as fruits and vegetables, require improvements. Second, the monitoring of rapid changes in food texture during oral processing should be considered during the design of food products. Third, a new instrumental method that mimics the movement and breakdown of soft foods by the tongue is being developed. The optimization of food processing to reduce the loss of agro-products and production of high-quality foods both require more attention according to the Sustainable Development Goals adopted by the United Nations in 2015.