Fumiyo Hayakawa

Mastication Effort Estimated by Electromyography for Cooked Rice of Differing Water Content

The objective of this study was to quantify the mastication effort for cooked rice. We analyzed mastication patterns while normal subjects ate a spoonful of cooked rice that had been prepared by cooking with different amounts of water (1.5, 2.0, 3.0, and 4.0 times the water to rice weight). The rice samples were served with the same weight, same volume and same solid content, and electromyography (EMG) of the masticatory muscles was measured. The texture of the four cooked rice samples was instrumentally analyzed by the two-bite method. The number of chews, masticatory time, and jaw-closing muscle activities per chew evaluated by EMG were higher in the rice sample cooked with least water, which exhibited a high firmness value in the instrumental test. Rice cooked with 4.0 times the amount of water exhibited the longest jaw-opening duration, which was related to the adhesiveness value in the instrumental test. The ratio of jaw-opening muscle activity to the preceding jaw-closing muscle activity was lower for the rice containing least water, this corresponding to the area ratio (balance degree) in the instrumental test. Softer rice containing more water reduced the total mastication effort until swallowing because it required a shorter mastication time. It was not difficult for the softer rice with high density to be ingested in greater weight, decreasing the mastication effort for a certain amount.

Characterization of Food Physical Properties by the Mastication Parameters Measured by Electromyography of the Jaw-Closing Muscles and Mandibular Kinematics in Young Adults

The relationship between the physical properties of solid food and the masticatory parameters is clarified. Eight solid foods of varying physical properties were chosen. Electromyography of the jaw-closing muscles and mandibular kinematics in eleven young subjects were recorded. The masticatory parameters were derived from the recorded data for the entire mastication process, for the first bite, and in the early, middle, and late stages of mastication. After calculating values relative to the mean value for each subject, nine parameters representing each group were chosen through a cluster analysis. Three principal components were extracted, each of them related to the masticatory time and cycle, minimum jaw opening at the early stage of mastication, and masticatory force. The principal component scores for each food were different, except for one combination in which the physical properties under large and extra-large deformations were similar, despite different breaking properties or small deformation properties. The masticatory parameters did not correlate with the physical properties of food measured for small deformation.

Textural evaluation of rice cake by chewing and swallowing measurements on human subjects

The difficulty in masticating and swallowing rice cake was quantified. Healthy subjects ate pieces of rice cake (9 g and 3 g) and a modified product (9 g). We used electromyography to measure the activity of the jaw-closing and -opening muscles during chewing, as well as the suprahyoid muscle activity, laryngeal movement, and sound during swallowing. The smaller the rice cake, the shorter the mastication time, the fewer the number of chews, and the less the jaw-closing muscle activity. A modified rice cake product (9 g) was consumed with less mastication effort than the standard rice cake (9 g) and with the same effort as the standard (3 g). Both the sample amount and texture influenced mastication, although neither factor caused a significant difference in swallowing characteristics. These observations suggest that swallowing was induced when the bolus properties became suitable for swallowing, as healthy subjects could adjust their mastication technique according to the food amount and texture.

Effectiveness of Superheated Steam and Gas Catalytic Infrared Heat Treatments to Inactivate Salmonella on Raw Almonds

The majority of the almond-related outbreaks have been associated with Salmonella. Therefore, it is necessary to find an effective method to inactivate these organisms on the raw almond before distribution in the market. This study was conducted to assess the effectiveness of superheated steam (SHS) treatments followed by catalytic infrared (IR) heat treatment to inactivate Salmonella populations on raw almond and to determine the effect of these treatments on the quality of raw almond. It has been found that SHS treatment for 70 seconds followed by catalytic IR heat treatment for 70 seconds was able to reduce 5.73 +/- 0.11 log CFU/g Salmonella population, and no survivors were found in the enrichment medium. The overall visual quality parameters of both treated and nontreated almonds were found within the acceptable limit. Therefore, SHS treatments for 70 seconds followed by catalytic IR heat treatment for 70 seconds could be an effective decontamination method for raw almonds.

Prefrontal activity during flavor difference test: Application of functional near-infrared spectroscopy to sensory evaluation studies

Sensory evaluation (SE) of food attributes involves various levels of cognitive functions, yet not much has been studied about its neural basis. Using multi-channel functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS), we examined the activation of the anterior portion of the lateral prefrontal cortex (LPFC) of 12 healthy volunteers during the SE of tea samples. The experimental task used corresponded to the early phase of the same-different test, and required subjects to attentively taste tea samples and memorize their flavors. To isolate activation associated with the cognitive functions involved in the task, we contrasted the results with those achieved by a control (Ctl) task during which subjects held familiar tea samples in their mouths without actively evaluating their flavor. We probabilistically registered the fNIRS data to the Montreal Neurological Institute standard brain space to examine the results as they correspond with other published neuroimaging studies. We found significant activation in the left LPFC and in the right inferior frontal gyrus. The activation pattern was consistent with earlier studies on encoding of other sensory stimuli, with cortical regions supposed to be involved in semantic and perceptual processing. This research makes a start on characterizing the cognitive process employed during SE from the neuroimaging perspective.

Modulation of biting procedures induced by the sensory evaluation of cheese hardness with different definitions

This study seeks to clarify the bite process in individuals who assess cheese hardness to confirm the relationships among hardness definitions, their causative bite procedures, targeted intra-oral mechanical events, and judgment. Subjects were required to bite and evaluate samples using two different definitions of hardness. We measured an intra-oral bite time-force profile using a tactile pressure-measurement system with a sheet sensor unobtrusively inserted into the subjects mouth along with a sample. The first bite profile was an exploratory procedure adjusted to optimize perception of the designated textural attribute. From the temporal modification of the bite profile, we could estimate the bite parameter that was targeted as the sensory information for a particular texture attribute. We examined inter-definition and inter-subject variations in the relationship between hardness judgment and its sensory source estimated from the bite procedure. We demonstrated that the bite measurement could elucidate both the bite procedures and sensory information for hardness evaluation. Different definitions induced different bite procedures that resulted in a change in the sensory signal. The definition also affected inter-subject variability in bite procedures and sensory-judgment correspondence.

Visual illusion in mass estimation of cut food.

We investigated the effect of the appearance of cut food on visual mass estimation. In this experiment, we manipulated the shape (e.g., a block, fine strips, or small cubes) of food samples of various masses, and presented them on a CRT display as stimuli. Eleven subjects participated in tasks to choose the picture of the food sample which they felt indicated a target mass. We used raw carrots and surimi (ground fish) gel as hard and soft samples, respectively. The results clearly confirm an existence of an illusion, and this indicates that the appearance of food interferes with visual mass estimation. Specifically, participants often overestimated the mass of finely cut food, especially fine strips, whereas they could accurately estimate the mass of block samples, regardless of the physical characteristics of the foods. The overestimation of the mass of cut food increased with the foods actual mass, and was particularly obvious with increases of apparent volume when cut into fine strips. These results suggest that the apparent volume of a food sample effects the visual estimation of its mass. Hence we can conclude that there are illusions associated with the visual presentation of food that may influence various food impressions, including satisfaction and eating behaviour.

Effects of Cross-sectional Area on Human Bite Studied with Raw Carrot and Surimi Gel

The effects of the cross-sectional area of food samples on bite force with molar teeth were investigated using raw carrots and surimi gels. We evaluated human bite force for food samples with different sizes between the upper and lower molars using a multiple-point sheet sensor and electromyography (EMG). The bite force curve and EMG clearly showed textural characteristics of the carrot and gel. In particular, the first peak in the bite curves corresponded to breaking point in the compression test. With increasing cross-sectional area of both foodstuffs, the bite force and contact area increased and the average stress to which the specimen was subjected (mean stress) tended to decrease, while the stress produced between the teeth and the specimen (active stress) did not change. Chewing rhythm and EMG activities were not greatly influenced by sample size. These findings suggest that higher bite force might cause difficulty in biting food with a larger cross-sectional area.

Electromyographic Measurement of Eating Behaviors for Buckwheat Noodles

The objective of this study was to analyze human eating behaviors in chewing and slurping buckwheat noodles. We used electromyography to measure the activity of the jaw-closing, jaw-opening, and lip-closing muscles while healthy adults ate one mouthful of buckwheat noodles. Slurping the noodles required a longer mastication period but smaller muscle activity per movement than chewing the same samples. Total muscle activity was greater in slurping. Slurping also showed a longer average cycle time but greater variances in the cycle time than rhythmical chewing. The mechanical properties of buckwheat noodles significantly differed between the noodle types (half-raw and dry), but the human mastication variables for the two types of noodles were not significantly changed within a subject. Both types of noodles kept for 10 min at 23 °C after being cooked could be consumed with less mastication effort than those immediately served, and this observation corresponded to softening of the noodles during the standing time.

Characterization of Waxy Rice Cakes (Mochi) with Rapid Hardening Quality by Instrumental and Sensory Methods

ABSTRACT The textural properties of cooked waxy rice cakes made from four waxy rice varieties including the unique varieties Kantomochi 172 (K172) and BC3 with the property of rapid hardening were analyzed by instrumental and sensory methods. For the instrumental analysis, a compression test, adhesiveness test, and tensile test were conducted. The waxy rice cakes made from K172 and BC3 showed significantly higher compressive force and resistance to break under tensile load. Significant difference in amylopectin chain-length distribution was observed between each variety, and this difference strongly reflected the hardness of waxy rice cakes. The peak area ratio of amylopectin branch chains with 6–12 degrees of polymerization negatively correlated with the compressive force required for 50 and 80% strain. Sensory evaluation showed that the waxy rice cakes made from these varieties had a significantly harder, less stretchable, less smooth surface, whereas the scores for adhesiveness and ease to cut off (hag...