Chapter 10: Design Structures for Optimal Sensory Performance

In this chapter, we review how modern food scientists and engineers can design formulations and processes to achieve a specific function: sensory performance. We detail what sensory performance is, how to measure it, and how humans code food structural properties at different lengths and timescales into a sensory property. In addition, humans constantly modulate these sensory inputs upon oral processing of foods in the oral cavity; mechanical, thermal, and chemical stresses are profoundly changing food structures over the few seconds of oral residence time. Understanding (1) how sensory stimuli evolve over time in the mouth and (2) how sensory perception is coded is key to reverse engineer structures (and therefore formulations and processes) that will influence sensory properties in a favourable way. As a result, the engineered structures will have a sensory profile that appeals to consumers, whilst also considering other factors that are important for consumer acceptability such as nutritional performance.