Measurement of Biting Velocities, and Predetermined and Individual Crosshead Speed Instrumental Imitative Tests for Predicting Cheese Hardness

Average first bite velocities of ten cheeses were measured for seven subjects trained in descriptive analysis using an electrognathograph. The effectiveness of instrumental imitative tests performed at predefined and individual crosshead speeds (matching velocities measured in vivo) to predict hardness perception of cheeses were assessed. For five of the seven subjects, the perception of hardness was adequately described by imitative instrumental tests performed with dental replicas of individual subjects. For some of the subjects (2 of 5), individual crosshead speed testing significantly improved the instrumental prediction of hardness. For other subjects, the instrumental test method did not seem to greatly influence the results.