Oral Processing Research Articles

Unique dentition of rhynchosaurs and their two‐phase success as herbivores in the Triassic

AbstractRhynchosaurs were key herbivores over much of the world in the Middle and Late Triassic, often dominating their faunas ecologically, and much of their success may relate to their dentition. They show the unique ankylothecodont mode of tooth implantation, with deep roots embedded in the bone of the jaw and low crowns that were rapidly worn down in use. During growth, the main area of oral food processing, located in the middle and posterior portions of the occlusal surfaces of the jaws, moved posteriorly relative to the anterior tips of the jaws, which curved up. As the maxilla and dentary grew by addition of new bone posteriorly, the dental lamina fed in new teeth at the back of the tooth rows. CT scanning of the holotype skull of Bentonyx sidensis from the Middle Triassic of England reveals previously concealed details of the dentition. Together with new dentary material from the same location, this has enabled us to examine the tooth replacement process and elucidate ontogenetic changes in dentition and jaw morphology as the animals aged. There were major changes in rhynchosaur anatomy and function through their evolutionary history, with the early forms of the Middle Triassic dying out before or during the Carnian Pluvial Episode (233–232 Ma), and the subclade Hyperodapedontinae, with broad skulls and adaptations to chop tough vegetation, subsequently diversifying worldwide in a successful ecological expansion until their global extinction 227–225 Ma.

Al dente or well done? How the eating rate of a pasta dish can be predicted by the eating rate of its components

Eating rate (ER) is now recognised as an important driver of food and energy intake, and is strongly influenced by a food’s texture. However, little is known about how the textures of multiple food components combined affect the ER of a composite dish. In a full cross-over study, 54 healthy participants (age: 25 ± 7 years, BMI: 22 ± 3 kg/m2) consumed 12 different pasta dishes. The dishes comprised single penne or carrot (hard and soft; 4 samples), single penne or carrot (hard and soft) with tomato sauce (4 samples), and combined penne (hard and soft) with carrots (hard and soft) and tomato sauce (4 samples). Behavioural coding analysis was used to quantify participant ER and oral processing behaviours for each dish. Soft penne was consumed 42% faster than hard penne (P < 0.001) and soft carrots were consumed 94% faster than hard carrots(P < 0.001) when presented as single foods without sauce. The addition of sauce increased ER for both penne and carrots by approximately 30% (both P < 0.001). For the composite dishes, the ER of the dish with soft carrot, soft penne and sauce was consumed 45% faster than the same dish with hard components (P < 0.001). The ER of the composite dishes could be predicted from the ER of its single components. The ER of individual components cumulatively determined the ER of the composite dish, rather than ER being driven only by the slowest dish component. These insights provide guidance on how to compose texture modified meals that moderate both ER and energy intake.

Beef and plant-based burgers' mastication parameters depend on texture rather than on serving conditions.

Previous studies dealing with plant-based meat analogs confirmed the potential of oral processing methods to identify options for improving those products. Knowing that sensory perception can be influenced by adding condiments, this short communication aimed to investigate the texture and oral processing of four plant-based burger analogs and a beef burger when consumed in portions or as part of model meals with buns and sides. Texture profile analysis indicated that beef burgers and analog E were the toughest. Two analogs (B and S) showed textures close to beef, while one (analog D) displayed significantly lower values for hardness, toughness, cohesiveness, and springiness. The instrumental data was only partly reflected in the mastication parameters. Adaptations in mastication behavior were expected, but differences between the plant-based analogs were smaller than anticipated, although clear differences were observed for consumption time, number of chews and number of swallows. On the whole, mastication patterns concurred within different consumption scenarios (portions, model burgers), and significant correlations with instrumental texture were obtained.

Oral oil release improves lubrication and sensory properties of meat analogs with protein-stabilized oleogel

Excess consumption of animal meat is negatively associated with human health benefits and environmental sustainability. In recent years, many academic institutions, large food manufacturers, and start-ups have attached great importance to the development of meat analogs, but there is still a major technical challenge to developing products with wide acceptance by consumers. To mimic the juiciness in meat products derived from the phase transition of animal fats, oleogel, in which vegetable oil was structured by a network made up of whey protein isolates (WPI) and water, was prepared in this work. It was integrated into a soybean protein gel induced by transglutaminase to set up a composite gel model for meat analog. The heated composite gels were then subjected to in vivo and in vitro oral processing experiments. The proportion of oil released from the gel matrix, the tribological properties of the simulated bolus, and the sensory attribute evaluation were investigated. The results indicated that the addition of oleogel significantly enhanced the oil release and improve the fat-related sensory attributes. The transition of the microstructure in the oleogel caused by heating and shearing might be responsible for its oil-release behavior. However, this effect could not be observed in the composite gel with the addition of emulsion gel. It suggested that the oleogel prepared in this work might be a potential component for improving the juiciness attributes of the meat analog, providing a new idea for elevating the quality and acceptability of the meat analog.

Feasibility of using a realistic food bolus for semi-dynamic in vitro gastric digestion of hard cheese with pH-stat monitoring of protein hydrolysis

Oral processing of solid foods leads to boluses made of a human saliva and particles distributed in the size range ∼ 0 to 5 mm. However, studies on the release of nutrients from realistic solid food boluses during digestion are scarce because such mechanisms are difficult to investigate in vivo, and in vitro experiments generally recommend to extensively mince solid foods during the oral stage. Similarly, it has previously been shown that the peptic hydrolysis of protein solutions during in vitro gastric digestion can be monitored by acid titration in both static and dynamic pH conditions, but such approach has never been evaluated in the presence of particles of several millimetres in size. The first objective of the study was therefore to test the feasibility of using a realistic food bolus for gastric digestion studies with a pH-stat monitoring of proteolysis, using Emmental cheese as a solid food and with consideration of gastric acidifying kinetics. Degree of hydrolysis (DH) of proteins was monitored from two series of experiments performed in the presence and absence of pepsin. Other DH measurements, estimated from an independent approach based on the amount of free NH2 groups (OPA method) contained by peptides released in the supernatant (UV absorbance) validated the pH-stat results. A second objective of this work was to test the possible influence of human saliva on gastric proteolysis (in comparison with a water-based bolus). Results showed that saliva slightly delayed initiation of proteolysis, which could be explained by the slightly higher initial pH of the saliva-based bolus, but had no statistical effects on pepsin activity. We conclude that acid titration with a pH-stat system can be a valuable approach to monitor the gastric in vitro proteolysis of realistic solid food boluses in dynamic pH conditions.

Nutrient density and oral processing properties of common commercial complementary porridge samples used in Southern Africa: effect on energy and protein intakes among children aged 6-24 months.

Child malnutrition is an endemic public health problem in Africa. Infants are supposed to receive complementary foods from about six months onwards, as breastmilk alone no longer provide adequate nutrients. Commercially available complementary foods (CACFs) form an important part of baby foods in developing countries. However, systematic evidence on whether they really meet optimal quality specifications for infant feeding is limited. Some CACFs commonly used in Southern Africa and other parts of the world were investigated to establish if they meet optimal quality standards for protein and energy content, viscosity, and oral texture. For the energy content, most CACFs for 6-24-month-old children both in the dry and ready-to-eat forms (range: 372.0 kJ/100 g - 1816.0 kJ/100 g), were below Codex Alimentarius guidelines. The protein density of all CACFs (0.48-1.3 g/100 kJ) conformed with Codex Alimentarius requirements, but some (33%) were below the minimum World Health Organization (2019a) target of 0.7 g/100 kJ. Most CACFs had high viscosity values even at high shear rate of 50 s-1 , and were too thick or thick, sticky, grainy, and slimy, which may limit nutrient intake in infants, potentially causing child malnutrition. There is a need to improve the oral viscosity and sensory texture of CACFs for better nutrient intake by infants. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Flavour them up! Exploring the challenges of flavoured plant‐based foods

AbstractFood flavourings are often added to enhance overall flavour experience during food consumption and their use in plant‐based food analogues is crucial. The flavour sensory perception is strongly mediated by flavour–food matrix interactions. Aroma molecules establish chemical and physical bonds with lipids and carbohydrates, but proteins play a pivotal role having a strong flavour binding minimizing aroma release and quenching flavour perception. Consequently, final food quality is reduced and so is consumer acceptance. Depending on the chemical structure of the flavour and the type of protein involved, the strength of the flavour–protein binding can vary. It is of great importance to understand if this interaction remains under dynamic conditions such as the oral processing during food consumption. This review aims to gain insights into the influence of the chemical structure and physicochemical features of both proteins and flavours on the binding mechanism. Moreover, the potentiality of coupling in vivo instrumental analysis with sensory methods to study flavour release in real time is explored. Elucidating the drivers of flavour interaction with, and release from, the food matrix is essential to develop flavour solutions for the new generation of plant‐based food products.

Destructive and non-destructive mechanical characterisation of chocolate with different levels of porosity under various modes of deformation

Chocolate exhibits a complex material response under the varying mechanical loads present during oral processing. Mechanical properties such as Young’s modulus and fracture stress are linked to sensorial attributes such as hardness. Apart from this link with hardness perception, these mechanical properties are important input parameters towards developing a computational model to simulate the first bite. This study aims to determine the mechanical properties of chocolate with different levels of micro-aeration, 0–15%, under varying modes of deformation. Therefore, destructive mechanical experiments under tension, compression, and flexure loading are conducted to calculate the Young’s modulus, yield, and fracture stress of chocolate. The values of Young’s modulus are also confirmed by independent ultrasonic mechanical experiments. The results showed that differences up to 35% were observed amongst the Young’s modulus of chocolate for different mechanical experiments. This maximum difference was found to drop with increasing porosity and a negligible difference in the Young’s modulus measurements amongst the different mechanical experiments is observed for the 15% micro-aerated chocolate. This phenomenon is caused by micro-pores obstructing the microscopic inelastic movement occurring from the early stages of the material’s deformation. This work provides a deeper understanding of the mechanical behaviour of chocolate under different loading scenarios, which are relevant to the multiaxial loading during mastication, and the role of micro-aeration on the mechanical response of chocolate. This will further assist the food industry’s understanding of the design of chocolate products with controlled and/or improved sensory perception.

A new Middle Triassic (Ladinian) trilophosaurid stem-archosaur from Germany increases diversity and temporal range of this clade.

We report the first trilophosaurid stem-archosaur from Central Europe, Rutiotomodon tytthos gen. et sp. nov., from the Middle Triassic (Ladinian) Erfurt Formation of Baden-Württemberg (Germany). It is currently known from two jaw fragments with distinctive teeth. The labiolingually wide but mesiodistally narrow maxillary and dentary teeth each have a large labial cusp from which an occlusal ridge extends lingually to a small lingual cusp. A mesial and a distal cingulum extend between the labial and lingual cusps. The mesial and distal faces of the labial cusp each bear three prominent, lingually curved apicobasal ridges (arrises). A referred partial dentary has an edentulous, expanded symphysis similar to the mandibular 'beak' in Trilophosaurus buettneri. A review of Coelodontognathus ricovi, from the Lower Triassic (Olenekian) of southwestern Russia, supports its referral to Trilophosauridae rather than Procolophonidae. Based on this reassessment and the new material from the Middle Triassic, the temporal range of trilophosaurids now spans nearly the entire Triassic Period, from the Olenekian to the Rhaetian. Trilophosaurids present craniodental features that indicate omnivory or herbivory with limited oral food processing. They were more diverse in terms of dental structure (and presumably diet) than previously assumed.

Combined effect of eating speed instructions and food texture modification on eating rate, appetite and later food intake

Modifying food texture and eating slowly each reduce appetite and energy intake. No study has evaluated the effect of combining these measures to slow eating speed and determine the effect on appetite. The aim of this study was to investigate whether there is a combined effect of manipulating oral processing behaviours (OPBs) in this manner on self-reported satiety and subsequent food intake. A 2 × 2 design was used with four breakfast conditions in total. Twenty-four participants attended four study visits where they were asked to consume one of two isocaloric fixed-portion breakfasts differing in texture: 1) granola with milk and 2) yogurt with muesli and conserve. Participants consumed each breakfast twice, with verbal instructions to chew slowly at one visit and at a normal rate at another. Consumption was video-recorded to behaviourally code OPBs. Participants completed visual analogue scales of self-reported appetite measures at the beginning of the test session, immediately prior to and immediately after breakfast consumption. They also completed a food diary documenting food intake for the remainder of the day. The breakfast designed to be eaten slowest (the harder-textured meal with instructions to eat slowly) was eaten at a slower rate, with a greater number of chews per bite and a slower bite rate (p < 0.001) compared to the other meals. No differences were observed between the breakfast conditions on subjective measures of post-prandial satiety, or subsequent energy or macronutrient consumption. Results of this study highlight that combined effects of texture and instructions are most effective at reducing eating rate, though eating slower was not shown to enhance post-meal satiety. Reduced eating speed has previously been shown to reduce ad-libitum energy intake. Future research should consider combined approaches to reduce eating speed, to mitigate the risk of overconsumption within meals.

Predicting the clinical trajectory of feeding and swallowing abilities in CHARGE syndrome

To date, the feeding and oral-motor abilities of patients with CHARGE syndrome (CS) have not been longitudinally assessed. This study aims to investigate the level of these abilities at different ages and evaluate how they evolve during growth. We retrospectively analysed oral-motor features of 16 patients with molecularly confirmed CS (age range 4–21 years old; mean 11 years; SD 6 years; median 10 years). Nearly 100% of CS new-borns had weak sucking at birth, and half of them demonstrated poor coordination between breathing and swallowing. Over time, the percentages of children with tube feeding dependence (60% at birth) faced a slow but steady decrease (from 33% at 6 months, 25% at 12 months, to 13% at school age) in tandem with the decreasing risk of aspiration. The ability of eating foods requiring chewing was achieved at school age, after the acquisition of an adequate oral sensory processing. A mature chewing pattern with a variety of food textures was not achieved by more than half of patients, including those requiring artificial enteral nutrition. Most patients started prolonged oral-motor treatments with speech language therapists in early childhood.Conclusions: Although feeding and swallowing disorders are constant features in CS patients, a slow and gradual development of feeding abilities occurs in most cases. Rehabilitation plays a key role in overcoming structural and functional difficulties and attaining appropriate eating skills.What is Known:• Feeding problems and swallowing dysfunction have been noted in CHARGE syndrome.• The involvement of multiple factors, including structural problems in the mouth, throat, or esophagus, and neurological impairment, make feeding a complicated task in CHARGE individuals.What is New:• Dysphagia gradually improves in most CHARGE children over time, though with a wide interindividual variability.• The percentages of children with tube feeding dependence decrease over time from 60% at birth to 33% at 6 months and 13% at school age.

The development of a lexicon for Jinhua dry‐cured ham and its application to discriminate samples using descriptive analysis and check‐all‐that‐apply

AbstractJinhua dry‐cured ham (JDH) is a traditional Chinese food with a unique flavor. Its sensory profiles have not been studied using a developed lexicon. In this study, a lexicon to profile sensory characterization of JDHs was developed to characterize samples starting from smelling, during oral processing, and after swallowing. Then the lexicon was composed to profile JDHs using descriptive analysis (DA) and check‐all‐that‐apply (CATA). Principal component analysis (PCA) was used to examine DA data, and correspondence analysis (CA) was used to examine CATA data. The DA data from trained panelists and CATA data from naive consumers were compared by multiple factor analysis (MFA). The result showed a total of 33 attributes composed of the lexicon to describe JDHs including seven terms for odor, six terms for texture, seven terms for flavor, four terms for taste, and nine terms for aftertaste. The application of the lexicon to describe JDHs using DA and CATA showed good discrimination among samples. The comparison between DA and CATA using MFA showed attributes with distinct intensity or significant variances among tested samples located closely on the map, but attributes with weak intensity could varied largely on the map. This lexicon can be useful for manufacturers, producers, and consumers and helpful for the standardization of JDHs.Practical ApplicationsThe development of a sensory lexicon for JDH can be helpful for the breeding of pigs, and the production of JDH with desired characteristics. It also assists manufacturers in differentiating products, optimizing processes, and developing new products with a consistent and expected JDH. The development of a lexicon will help both the trained panelists and consumers to fill knowledge gaps in JDH research from a sensory and consumer point of view. Such data are critical in sensory studies for conducting JDHs from different regions and countries in the future.

The Effect of the Texture of Two Energy Bars on the Oral Processing of Cyclists: An Exploratory Study

In cycling, a wide range of ergogenic foods with a variety of flavours, shapes, and textures are available. The timing of their consumption and their correct oral processing can influence the performance of athletes. Furthermore, the differences in the texture of energy bars could result in differences in the chewing required. Nonetheless, research in this area is still scarce. The aim of this study was to analyse how the consumption of two energy bars with different textures (viscous versus hard) influenced the variables of oral processing, pedalling intensity, and the perception of satisfaction among cyclists. Ten cyclists performed two 15 min sections on a cycle ergometer at a moderate intensity (120–130 W) and consumed one of the two energy bars at random in each of the sections. The results showed that a shorter chewing duration and a fewer number of chews were required to consume the softer bar (p &lt; 0.05, ES &gt; 0.7). However, no differences among the cyclists were observed in the intensity of pedalling or perception of satisfaction. Nevertheless, participants were able to distinguish between the two different textures while pedalling. In conclusion, the texture of energy bars altered the oral processing of cyclists but did not affect pedalling intensity or perception of satisfaction.

The role of saliva in taste and food intake

Saliva is well-described in oral food processing, but its role in taste responsiveness remains understudied. Taste stimuli must dissolve in saliva to reach their receptor targets. This allows the constituents of saliva the opportunity to interact with taste stimuli and their receptors at the most fundamental level. Yet, despite years of correlational data suggesting a role for salivary proteins in food preference, there were few experimental models to test the role of salivary proteins in taste-driven behaviors. Here we review our experimental contributions to the hypothesis that salivary proteins can alter taste function. We have developed a rodent model to test how diet alters salivary protein expression, and how salivary proteins alter diet acceptance and taste. We have found that salivary protein expression is modified by diet, and these diet-induced proteins can, in turn, increase the acceptance of a bitter diet. The change in acceptance is in part mediated by a change in taste signaling. Critically, we have documented increased detection threshold, decreased taste nerve signaling, and decreased oromotor responding to quinine when animals have increases in a subset of salivary proteins compared to control conditions.

Fibrous food and particle size influence electromyography and the kinematics of oral processing

Structure-sensory relationships are essential for understanding food perception. Food microstructure impacts how a food is comminuted and processed by the human masticatory system. This study investigated the impact of anisotropic structures, explicitly the structure of meat fibers, on the dynamic process of mastication. For a general understanding of texture-structure relationships, the three typically used deformation-tests: Kramer shear cell-, Guillotine cutting- and texture-profile-analyses were conducted. 3D jaw movements and muscle activities of the masseter muscle were additionally tracked and visualized using a mathematical model. Particle size had a significant effect on jaw movements and muscle activities for both the homogeneous (isotropic) and fibrous (anisotropic) meat-based samples with the same composition. Mastication was described using jaw movement and muscle activity parameters determined for each individual chew. The adjusted effect of fiber length was extracted from the data, suggesting that longer fibers induce a more strenuous chewing in which the jaw undergoes faster and wider movements requiring more muscle activity. To the authors’ knowledge, this paper presents a novel data analysis approach for identifying oral processing behavior differences. This is an advancement on previous studies because a holistic overview of the entire mastication process can be visualized.

Food matrix impact on rheological and digestive properties of protein-enriched and texture-modified mushroom creams

This study aimed to investigate the food matrix impact of adding two different proteins, whey protein (WP), bovine gelatin protein (BG) or their respective hydrolysates (WPH or BGH), and two hydrocolloids, neutral modified waxy-maize starch (MS) or charged carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC), on flow and viscoelastic properties, oral processing, and in vitro gastrointestinal digestion of protein-enriched and texture-modified mushroom creams. All the samples exhibited a weak gel behaviour; however, BG-MS, WP-CMC, WPH-CMC, and BGH-CMC mushroom creams would be considered safer to swallow by dysphagic and elderly people due to their good elasticity degree and resistance to deformation. The addition of saliva during oral processing produced remarkable changes in consistency, adhesiveness, and viscosity of samples containing MS as thickener, which could prevent a safe swallowing. Samples with hydrolysates as protein source and the anionic CMC as thickener could form a compact structure that led to high viscosity and consistency values up to the gastric phase, but they could reduce protein digestibility at the end of the simulated gastrointestinal digestion. This study evidences how protein-hydrocolloid interactions and the food matrix determine the rheological and digestibility properties of samples, which must be considered in the design of foods to meet the specific needs of certain population groups such as dysphagic or elderly people.

Effect of mucin on β-lactoglobulin and lactose interaction

AbstractFunctions of mucin, as the major macromolecular component in saliva or gastric fluids, are drawing increasing attention in the context of understanding the oral processing or digestion of dairy foods at the molecular level. This study was designed to investigate the interactions between β-lactoglobulin (BLG)-lactose, mucin-lactose and BLG-lactose-mucin at the molecular level under different temperature and pH conditions using fluorescence spectroscopy in combination with scanning electron microscopes (sem). It is the first study of its kind. There was no lactose-dependent quenching on BLG fluorophore in the range of 0–10 mM lactose concentration. On the contrary, there was a continuous increase in the fluorescence intensity of the BLG protein when the lactose concentration increased, especially at 25°C. BLG-lactose complex became thermally unstable at 37 and 45°C. Moreover, BLG exhibited a pH dependent conformational change and had higher fluorescence intensity at pH 3 than pH 6.8. The fluorescence result was in correspondence with sem images where we observed lactose crystals gathering around and on the BLG molecule, but lactose molecules could not be seen in the presence of mucin. It was anticipated that mucin molecules interacted with BLG-lactose complex via electrostatic attraction and formed an extra protective layer around the BLG molecules to avoid solvent exposure.

Children’s physiological and behavioural response evoked by the observation, olfaction, manipulation, and consumption of food textures. Part 1: Liquid products

Children are thought to prefer homogeneous and simple textures that are easy to manipulate in the mouth. Although scientific research has been done on children’s acceptance for food textures, there is a lack of knowledge regarding the emotional response elicited by textures in this group of population. Physiological and behavioural methods could be an appropriate approach to measure food-evoked emotions in children since they require a low cognitive effort and allow a real-time measure. In this regard, a study that combined the measure of skin conductance response (SCR) and facial expressions was conducted: (i) to provide a first insight into food-evoked emotions induced by liquid food products that only vary in texture, (ii) to capture the emotional response evoked by the observation, olfaction, manipulation, and consumption of the products, and (iii) to overcome methodological drawbacks that are frequently associated to these methods. To achieve these goals, 50 children (5–12 yrs old) evaluated three liquids designed to only vary in texture (from slightly thick to extremely thick), following four sensory tasks: observation, olfaction, manipulation, and consumption. After each sample was tasted, children rated liking with a 7-pt hedonic scale. Facial expressions and SCR were monitored during the test, and they were analysed as action units (AUs) and basic emotions as well as changes in SCR. Results showed that the extremely thick liquid was less liked by the children and induced a more negative emotional response, whereas the slightly thick liquid was more liked and evoked a more positive emotional response. The combined method used in this study showed good discrimination ability among the three samples tested, obtaining the best discrimination during the manipulation task. The codification of the AUs located in the upper side of the face allowed us to measure the emotional response evoked by the consumption of the liquids, without the artifacts caused by the oral processing of the products. This study provides a child-friendly approach to be used during the sensory evaluation of food products in a broad range of sensory tasks minimising the methodological drawbacks.

What is the food like that people choke on? A study on food bolus physical properties under different in vitro oral capacities

People with oral impairments, such as poor denture status, poor muscle strength, and poor salivary secretion, have more difficulties performing oral processes, which results in the risk of choking. In this study, we aimed to understand, in vitro, how different oral impairments can affect the oral processing of food reported as a choking hazard. Six foods that frequently cause choking were selected and studied, varying three in vitro factors at two levels—saliva incorporation amount, cutting activity, and compression action. The median particle size (a50) and the particle size heterogeneity (a75/25) of the food fragmentation, the hardness, and adhesiveness of the bolus formation, and the final cohesiveness of the bolus were studied. The results showed that all the parameters studied varied depending on the food product. High compression reduced a50 (except in mochi that increased) and a75/25 (except in eggs and fish) but increased bolus adhesion and particle aggregation (except for mochi). Regarding cutting activity, when performing a greater number of strokes, the particle size for sausage and egg, and the hardness of the bolus for mochi and sausage were lower. In contrast, for some food products, the bolus adhesiveness (bread) and particle aggregation (pineapple) were higher at a high number of strokes. The amount of saliva also played an important role in the creation of the bolus. When high amounts of saliva were added, the a50 values (mochi) and hardness (mochi, egg, and fish) decreased; and increased the adhesiveness (mochi) and particle aggregation (bread, pineapple, and sausage). When all oral factors are compromised (lack of muscle strength, denture status, and saliva secretion), some food products create a choking hazard as individuals cannot achieve the right particle size, bolus cohesiveness, and mechanical properties of the bolus to be safe to swallow, there is still a need to elaborate a guide, considering all the safety parameters.

Differences in habitual eating speed lead to small differences in dynamic sensory perception of composite foods.

Previous studies demonstrated that variability in oral processing behaviors impacts bolus properties and consequently texture and flavor perception. However, most studies followed a prescribed mastication protocol during the products' sensory evaluations. A better understanding of how variability in habitual eating behavior impacts sensory perception of foods is needed. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of habitual eating speed (slow vs. fast eaters) on dynamic sensory perception of composite foods. Habitual oral processing behavior of different composite foods was quantified in 105 participants. Participants were divided in fast (n=53) and slow (n=52) eaters using a median split. Three formulations of strawberry jams varying in viscosity and sugar content (High Sugar/Low Pectin [Control], High Sugar/High Pectin, Low Sugar/Low Pectin) were used. Composite foods were prepared by spreading jams on breads. Dynamics of dominant sensory attributes of strawberry jams presented with and without breads were evaluated using Temporal Dominance of Sensations (TDS). Dynamic sensory perception of jams and jam-bread combinations differed only slightly for short periods of time between habitual slow and fast eaters. The addition of breads to jams reduced especially the ability of the fast eaters to discriminate between jams differing in formulation. Slow eaters discriminated between different formulations of jams better than fast eaters, regardless of whether jams were presented alone or in combination with breads. We conclude that differences in habitual eating speed between consumers lead to small differences in dynamic sensory perception and discrimination ability of composite foods.