Interplay between product characteristics, oral physiology and texture perception of cellular brittle foods

Hard solid foods encompass a large variety of dry products as well as products with high water content. Most of these foods have a cellular structure, which is generally characterized by connected fairly rigid cell walls, enclosing a fluid material that may be liquid-like (fruit and vegetables) or a gas (mainly manufactured cellular foods). Typical for many hard solid products is their brittle fracture behavior, mostly accompanied by acoustic emission. The latter characteristic is essential for their crispy or crunchy character. Other main texture attributes are hardness and brittleness and for fruits and vegetables juiciness. The latter requires that the liquid content of the cells is released during mastication. Aspects of fracture behavior of cellular food products, oral processing of these products, and the interplay between product characteristics and perception of some main texture attributes (hardness and crispness) will be discussed. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS It has become more and more clear that texture perception by consumers of hard solid (brittle) foods is based on the interplay between product structure, fracture behavior, oral processing and final grading by the brain. Better understanding of the relations between these aspects is essential for the production of healthy, tasteful food that is liked by consumers. This article focus on the interplay between physical properties of hard solid foods and oral processing in relation to the perception of selected texture attributes (hardness and crispness)