Texture changes in bolus to the “point of swallow” - fracture toughness and back extrusion to test start and end points

The change in texture of a food bolus during chewing, from first bite to swallow, is dramatic for solid foods and a variety of analytical techniques are required to quantify the texture at any given point in the chewing cycle. The objective of the work presented in this paper is to develop mechanical and rheological tests relevant to a model food, allowing the texture of the bolus to be quantified at first bite, and when masticated to the point of swallowing. This paper presents one aspect of the “Food Structure Platform” programme, a multi-disciplinary New Zealand programme investigating the influence of structure on the textural attributes of solid foods. The programme team is developing model foods and novel techniques to test their mechanical and rheological properties.The first model food developed by the Food Structure Platform is a biscuit with a well defined range of hardness within one basic recipe. This was tested in 3-point bending to determine fracture stress and relate that to texture perceived on first bite. The biscuit samples were also masticated to the point immediately prior to where the subject would have normally swallowed then expectorated for rheological testing. Modified TPA and back extrusion, based on a cup and piston test piece, were used to test the rheological properties of the bolus from each of the biscuit models. Good correlations were found with fracture stress of the biscuit and sensory hardness for first bite. At the point of swallow the bolus had a consistent cohesiveness and saliva content irrespective of starting texture, whilst the hardness and adhesiveness was affected by starting texture/recipe.