Feasibility analysis of a newly developed multifunctional mastication simulator

Abstract

Food oral mastication is a highly complicated dynamic process which involves multiple sequential or simultaneous operations. Ethical complication and technical difficulties for oral access make in situ studies of food oral processing highly challenging and, therefore, feasible instrumental techniques are highly desirable in order to be able to conduct food oral processing research in vitro instead. In this work, a newly developed mastication simulator equipped with 3D printed teeth, controlling units, and various probes have been developed. The device is capable of simulating chewing actions by using two step motors controlling transverse and longitudinal movements. The mastication units sits inside an airtight and properly temperature controlled chamber made of aluminum alloy. The chamber has various small ports to allow the addition of artificial saliva and access of probes monitoring of the temperature, conductivity and pH of the collected saliva. Fractured food particles can be collected for size distribution analysis and to quantify the kinetics of food mastication. Conductivity and pH of the collected fluid (artificial saliva + food juice) can be measured as a function of mastication time or chewing cycles. Air inside the chamber can be collected regularly for composition analysis so that the kinetics of aroma release of a food can be monitored during mastication. Nuts and food gels have been used for feasibility tests of the device. Results demonstrate that the current design provides a feasible tool for in vitro oral mastication analysis during food oral processing.