Defining the end-point of mastication: A conceptual model

Area of Science:

• Food science and engineering
• Biomechanics of swallowing
• Sensory science

Background:

• Swallowing carries risks like choking and aspiration, though rare in healthy individuals.
• Defining food properties essential for safe swallowing remains a challenge.
• The mouth acts as a processor for mechanical sensory assessment during mastication.

Purpose of the Study:

• To propose a new conceptual model for determining food safety during mastication.
• To identify criteria for a safe-to-swallow bolus by analyzing food properties.
• To advance understanding of the relationship between food properties and swallowing safety.

Main Methods:

• Utilized engineering hazard analysis tools and principles of fluid and particle mechanics.
• Deduced mechanisms of food deposition and stranding during swallowing.
• Inverted hazard analysis to define safety criteria for food boluses.

Main Results:

• Identified six essential criteria for a safe-to-swallow bolus.
• Developed a new conceptual model to define food safety during mastication.
• Established a framework for decision-making regarding swallow safety.

Conclusions:

• The proposed model provides a decision-making framework for food safety during mastication.
• This research aids designers of dietary foods and foods for dysphagia patients.
• The findings support the development of mastication robots and artificial bolus research.