Enabling the design of superior healthy snack foods and beverages through innovative assessment of oral processing and mucosal film interactions (2015-2018)

Reducing sugar and fat in foods generally leads to products that are perceived as less flavoursome and appealing. A significant contributor to this is the interaction of foods and beverages with oral mucosal substrates, which play a key role in perceptual processes that drive unacceptable mouthfeel sensations. This project seeks to develop and use oral mimetic substrates to permit objective and quantified rheological and tribological responses, imitating the underlying physics occurring during food oral processing that drive dynamic sensory responses. The project will enable a mechanism-based approach to minimize the amounts of fat, salt and sugar required for sensory properties that meet consumer expectations.