Ease of mastication index-Quantification of mastication effort using quality function deployment.

Area of Science:

• Food Science and Technology
• Sensory Science
• Consumer Science

Background:

• Mastication effort is a key factor for food selection and quality judgment, particularly for consumers with chewing difficulties.
• Quantifying mastication effort as a quality grade remains underexplored in food research.
• Understanding the link between mastication, mechanical properties, and sensory perception is vital for product development.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze consumer demands regarding mastication attributes.
• To investigate mastication, mechanical, and sensory parameters of various foodstuffs.
• To develop a model for quantifying mastication effort and establish an "ease of mastication index" (EMI).

Main Methods:

• Consumer surveys to identify demands for mastication attributes.
• Analysis of mechanical and sensory properties of nine meat and dairy products.
• Development of a Quality Function Deployment (QFD) model to link consumer demands to technical parameters.

Main Results:

• A novel "ease of mastication index" (EMI) was developed to quantify the effort required for mastication.
• The EMI ranges from 0.40 (fermented sausage, most difficult) to 0.96 (creamy cheese, easiest) in the study.
• The QFD model successfully connected consumer demands with a multidimensional technical scale for mastication effort.

Conclusions:

• The EMI provides a single-value quality score for mastication effort, crucial for food product development.
• This index is valuable for both general consumers and specific groups like the elderly or those with oral impairments.
• The EMI serves as a novel quality indicator, enhancing food choice and quality assessment.