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Development and validation of a biomimetic mastication simulator for dynamic texture evaluation for cooked rice
Yanyun Cao1, Shixin Cai2, Xianlian Li2
1School of Food Science and Biotechnology, Zhejiang Gongshang University, Hangzhou 310018, China; Zhejiang-UK Joint Research Laboratory of Eating Behavior and Appetite, Zhejiang Gongshang University, Hangzhou 310018, China.
Food Research International (Ottawa, Ont.)
|March 7, 2026
Summary
A new biomimetic mastication simulator (BMS) accurately mimics human chewing, enabling detailed analysis of food breakdown and texture. This tool helps design foods with specific sensory properties and digestive outcomes.
Area of Science:
- Food Science
- Biomaterials Engineering
- Oral Physiology
Background:
- Mastication is a complex process involving mechanical breakdown, lubrication, and enzymatic hydrolysis.
- Understanding oral processing is crucial for predicting food texture perception and digestive behavior.
- Existing models often fail to capture the integrated physiological aspects of chewing.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop and validate a biomimetic mastication simulator (BMS) that replicates key physiological features of human chewing.
- To investigate the impact of rice varietal differences (amylose vs. amylopectin content) on bolus properties and oral processing.
- To establish a quantitative framework for structure-guided food design based on oral processing and digestive outcomes.
Main Methods:
- Developed a BMS integrated with a texture analyzer, calibrated using in vivo human chewing parameters (saliva composition, cycle count).
- Analyzed bolus properties using particle-size distribution, glucose release assays, Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), and Confocal Laser Scanning Microscopy (CLSM).
- Correlated instrumental texture analysis (hardness, adhesiveness) with sensory time-intensity profiles.
Main Results:
- The BMS successfully reproduced population-level bolus properties, showing high similarity in particle-size distribution and glucose release compared to in vivo data.
- Instrumental texture parameters (hardness, adhesiveness) strongly correlated with sensory perception (R² > 0.86).
- Rice varieties with different starch compositions exhibited distinct oral processing behaviors: high-amylose rice formed compact boluses with slow breakdown, while amylopectin-rich rice rapidly disintegrated into fine particles with higher glucose release.
Conclusions:
- Varietal starch constituents significantly influence bolus structural disintegration and starch hydrolysis during oral processing, directly impacting dynamic texture perception.
- The BMS provides a reliable platform for quantitatively assessing oral processing and predicting sensory attributes and early digestive outcomes of foods.
- This technology enables the structure-guided design of rice and starch-based foods with tailored sensory profiles and digestive characteristics.
