Oral behaviour of food hydrocolloids and emulsions. Part 1. Lubrication and deposition considerations

Biopolymers (polysaccharides and proteins) and their mixtures are used in the Food Industry to impart stability, texture and appearance to fabricated foods. This paper reviews the physical measures conducted to elucidate textural properties such as creaminess, smoothness, sliminess and thickness of food products and discusses oral processing mechanisms in relation to the behaviour of hydrocolloids and emulsions in the oral cavity during eating. In particular, this article covers the use of Tribology and Evanescent Wave Spectroscopy techniques that enable the study of the lubrication and deposition behaviour of food components. Comparison of the physical measurements with sensory properties indicate that thin film rheology and surface deposition phenomena make an important contribution to sensory properties such as fattiness, smoothness and astringency.