Utilization of Materials Science to Achieve a Better Understanding of the Mechanics of Food Texture Evaluation

Many analogies exist between the behaviour of foods when evaluating their textural characteristics and of other (non‐food) materials during instrumental evaluation. Utilizing theory developed for the latter situation, it can be inferred that at least two factors operate simultaneously during sensory and instrumental evaluation of certain textural characteristics. The consumer's evaluation of each of these characteristics is based on the overall effect arising from two or more operative factors. Drawing analogies in this way could lead to better understanding of the mechanics of texture evaluation and also to improved definition of textural terminology.