Bolus Moisture Content of Solid Foods during Mastication

Abstract

Abstract Saliva addition plays an important role in bolus formation. During chewing, food breaks down, exposing food particles to saliva. The aim of this study was to explore and understand how bolus moisture content changes during the oral processing of solid foods. Twelve subjects chewed commercially produced solid foods; the boluses were collected at different stages of the mastication process, including the swallowing point, and all of the boluses produced were analyzed for their moisture content. The chewing sessions were recorded on video, enabling the number of chews to be assessed for each subject and food type. Results showed that moisture content of boluses during mastication increased linearly at a rate depending on the subject and food types studied. It was found that for the food types studied, an increase in initial food moisture content increased the bolus moisture content at the swallowing point. Practical Applications Sensory perception experienced during oral processing of foods is through sensing the bolus properties, which change continuously in between ingestion and swallowing. Understanding changes in bolus moisture content, the role of food structure and effects on sensory perception can help in designing foods with predictable sensory attributes. This study demonstrated that while saliva additions vary between people and food types, they increase linearly during mastication. Changes in bolus moisture content during mastication could be used to guide the design of solid foods with target properties.