Effect of oral processing behaviour on food intake and satiety

• Many foods can be consumed quickly and with little chewing.
• The length of orosensory exposure to a food is an important element of its satiating effect and intake.
• Orosensory exposure depends on oral processing time, affected by e.g. bite size, chewing and texture.
• These determinants of orosensory exposure and eating rate are modifiable factors.
• These factors could be considered by food industry to contribute to the control of food intake.

Many foods can be consumed quickly or with a little chewing. An overview of 33 experiments suggests that oral processing plays a role in food intake by affecting satiation (assessed by the measurement of ad libitum intake) and satiety (assessed by measurement of subjective appetite ratings, subsequent intake, and/or release of hormones, such as CCK and GLP-1). An increase in oral processing may result in an increased timespan for satiety signals to induce meal termination or evoke satiety. Determinants of oral processing (e.g. bite size, chewing, texture) are modifiable factors that may be considered to contribute to food intake regulation.