Texture sensing based on nonlinear friction phenomena in the oral cavity

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 20K12018
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 61060:Kansei informatics-related
• Research Institution: Yamagata University
• Principal Investigator: Nonomura Yoshimune 山形大学, 大学院理工学研究科, 教授 (50451662)
• Project Period (FY): 2020-04-01 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: 食品 / 摩擦 / エマルション / 泡

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Although the textures that humans experience when they eat things are diverse and delicate, no method has been established to quantitatively evaluate these textures and analyze the physical expression mechanism. In this study, we developed an oral model that mimics the soft and wet environment of the human mouth with hydrogel, and established a method to analyze the frictional phenomena that occur there. Next, we evaluated the frictional properties of emulsions and foams, which are the basic formulations of food products, and found that they exhibit not only general lubrication properties, but also a super-lubricating state with an extremely low friction coefficient and an unstable pattern with different profiles on the outward and return paths. This new analytical method was successfully applied to commercial food products and classified in terms of friction dynamics.

Free Research Field

界面化学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

(1)学術的意義　本研究によって、エマルションや泡などの食品を構成するソフトマテリアルは動的な条件下において複雑な摩擦挙動を示すことが明らかになっただけでなく、これを解析するための物理モデルが提案された。また、摩擦パラメータを主成分分析やクラスター分析を用いて解析する方法が確立された。(2)社会的意義　本研究で提案された手法とそれによって得られる物理的なパラメータは食品の解析だけでなく、食感を設計する上で有用である。