| Abstract: | Abstract . Since mastication involves high deformation rates (150cm min?1), the arbitrarily selected slow deformation rates usually used in instrumental texture tests can lead to erroneous results and lack of correlation with sensory evaluation with respect to the order of sample ranking. Sophisticated instrumentation that is costly to operate is required to accurately simulate the deformation rates operating in the mouth. It is suggested that instrumental data obtained at slow rates could be evaluated in a more meaningful manner if series of similar samples were tested at increasing deformation rates and the plotted force/deformation curves extrapolated to 150cm min?1. It is implied that recording systems would be more useful, if in addition to force, they sensed the rate of force change with deformation rate. |
