Instrumental methods for bolus characterization during oral processing to understand food perceptions

•Food bolus properties are key factors to explain texture, taste and aroma perceptions.•Boli are heterogeneous and depend both on the food product and consumer physiology.•Rheology and particle size measurements are key physical methods to characterize boli.•Ex situ instrumental methods are not always adapted to study bolus formation kinetics.•Characterizing boli in real-time under in vivo conditions is a future challenge.

Food oral processing plays a key role in the sensory perception of food. The objective of this review is to give an overview of instrumental methods used to characterize food boli in connection with perceptions. Texture, structure, rheology, tribology and hydration, as well as the enzyme activities of the food bolus, can be investigated during oral processing and provide tools to help us understand perceptions. Recent publications have proposed integrated systemic approaches that include the physical characterization of food bolus evolution and the corresponding dynamics of perceptions. On the basis of these recent publications focused on gels and breads, this review proposes a synthetic analysis of methods and results. The major constraints in bolus characterization are identified and new perspectives for the future are proposed.

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