Beyond smell and taste: the role of mouthfeel in flavour perception and its implications for health and food innovation

Mouthfeel, encompassing the tactile, thermal, and chemesthetic sensations experienced during eating and drinking, is a crucial dimension of flavour perception. This review includes insights from sensory science, neurophysiology, biophysics, molecular biology, and food technology to provide a mechanistic perspective on mouthfeel and its relevance to nutrition and product development. We discuss how integrating this perspective with food design may enable better strategies to promote healthier and more satisfying diets.