Biomechanical Study of Food Texture

2014 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 25560033
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Exploratory Research
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Eating habits
• Research Institution: Tokyo Institute of Technology
• Principal Investigator: INOU Norio 東京工業大学, 理工学研究科, 教授 (70126308)
• Project Period (FY): 2013-04-01 – 2015-03-31
• Keywords: 食感 / 構造力学的特徴 / 材料力学的特徴 / 数理モデル / 咀嚼 / バイオメカニクス

Outline of Final Research Achievements

To estimate food texture quantitatively, it needs examination of mechanical properties corresponding to the sensory test. This study estimated microscopic level of material properties of snack foods. The results show 5 to 700 times larger than those of macroscopic level. Next we researched a relation between structural characteristics of snack foods and onomatopoeia in masticating these foods, and proposed a mathematical model to explain the relation. We also analyzed jaw movement in mastication of foods, and demonstrated that the movement changed by the kinds of foods.

Free Research Field

バイオメカニクス