Washington: Not just the taste and smell, but food’s texture also affects whether it is eaten, liked or rejected, recent findings suggest. As part of the study, researchers found that people are better at detecting even minor differences in consistency because their tongues can perceive particle sizes. The research included 111 volunteer tasters who had their tongues checked for physical sensitivity and then were asked their perceptions about various textures in chocolate.
“We’ve known for a long time that individual differences in taste and smell can cause differences in liking and food intake – now it looks like the same might be true for texture,” said John Hayes, associate professor of food science.
According to the researchers, these findings, published in Scientific Report, may have implications for parents of picky eaters since the texture is often a major reason food is rejected. The perception of food texture arises from the interaction of a food with mechanoreceptors in the mouth, Hayes noted. It depends on neural impulses carried by multiple nerves.
Despite being a key driver of the acceptance or rejection of foods, he pointed out, oral texture perception remains poorly understood relative to taste and smell, two other sensory inputs critical for flavour perception.
One argument is that texture typically is not noticed when it is within an acceptable range, but that it is a major factor in rejection if an adverse texture is present, explained Hayes. For chocolate specifically, oral texture is a critical quality attribute, with grittiness often being used to differentiate bulk chocolate from premium chocolates.
“Chocolate manufacturers spend lots of energy grinding cocoa and sugar down to the right particle size for optimal acceptability by consumers,” he said. “This work may help them figure out when it is good enough without going overboard.”
