Physical and Sensory Characterizations of Oral Coatings of Oil/Water Emulsions

Summary

The physical and sensory properties of oil coatings on the tongue formed by five oil/water emulsions varying in oil content were investigated. A total of 20 subjects processed orally each emulsion for 30 s in triplicate. In vivo fluorescence measurements at the front and back of the anterior tongue were made to quantify the oil fraction deposited at different time points. Calibration lines relating fluorescence intensity to oil fraction were determined using pig tongues at 37.5 °C to mimic oral conditions. The oil fraction on the tongue increased linearly with an increasing oil content of the emulsions. The oil fraction deposited at the back of the anterior tongue was 1.5–2.0× larger than at the front. The intensity of sensory attributes describing after-feel perception was related to the oil fraction by Weber–Fechner’s law. This study uses in vivo fluorescence to study food behavior in the mouth and unravel new insights in after-feel perception of emulsions.