Artificial Mouths
References: technology.newscientist
Food quality and flavours are of great importance in the food industry. Human taste-testers are still better at deciding if processed food is going to do anything for our palate. Recently, French scientists came up with a robotic or artificial mouth that mimics the way humans chew hard foods like apples. These robots provide us with a better understanding of the types of flavours released during the first stage of food digestion.
When we chew on food, the flavours we taste comes from the release of volatile compounds in the food which then channels around the back of the mouth and up to the nose. These volatile compounds in hard food like apples are released very differently depending on whether it is sliced, crushed or pureed. The artificial muncher complete with rudimentary spiky teeth, compresses and rotates just as our jaws do and even comes with artificial saliva to make the chow-down more realistic. Here is the important bit - the volatile compounds are then carried away for analysis - so that researchers will know what exactly a flavour is composed of. Pass the raspberry flavour, please?
When we chew on food, the flavours we taste comes from the release of volatile compounds in the food which then channels around the back of the mouth and up to the nose. These volatile compounds in hard food like apples are released very differently depending on whether it is sliced, crushed or pureed. The artificial muncher complete with rudimentary spiky teeth, compresses and rotates just as our jaws do and even comes with artificial saliva to make the chow-down more realistic. Here is the important bit - the volatile compounds are then carried away for analysis - so that researchers will know what exactly a flavour is composed of. Pass the raspberry flavour, please?
Trend Themes
1. Artificial Mouth Technology - The development of robotic or artificial mouths that mimic human chewing can lead to advancements in understanding the flavors released during food digestion.
2. Flavor Analysis - Analyzing volatile compounds in food can provide valuable insights into the composition of flavors, leading to improved food quality and taste.
3. Food Industry Innovation - The use of taste-test robots can revolutionize the food industry by providing more accurate and efficient evaluation of processed foods.
Industry Implications
1. Food Technology - The development of artificial mouths can benefit the food technology industry by improving food flavor and quality assessment.
2. Food Manufacturing - The implementation of flavor analysis techniques can enhance the manufacturing process, resulting in better-tasting processed foods.
3. Research and Development - The use of robotic taste-testers can support research and development efforts in the food industry by providing detailed insights into flavor composition.
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