Meiji expanded its texture evaluation using ORAL-MAPS and developed a new metric to quantify the melt-in-the-mouth characteristics of chocolate from multiple perspectives. By measuring torque simultaneously with vertical force, the system visualises oral sensations such as the speed at which the chocolate melts and its sticky texture.
Meiji expanded its proprietary chewing-process simulator, ORAL-MAPS, and developed a new metric for multifaceted quantitative evaluation of chocolate's melt-in-the-mouth characteristics and dense texture. The method simultaneously measures rotational force, or torque, in addition to conventional vertical force, with the aim of visualising complex oral sensations.
The new metric quantifies multiple sensations, including the speed at which the chocolate melts, a sluggish mouthfeel and stickiness, enabling more efficient comparison of prototypes and formulation studies. This could contribute to more sophisticated and faster product development.
The technology was presented at the 73rd Annual Meeting of the Japanese Society for Food Science and Technology, held on 27 August.