Sensorial Perception of Astringency: Oral Mechanisms and Current Analysis Methods

Abstract

Understanding consumers’ food choices and the psychological processes involved in their preferences is crucial to promote more mindful eating regulation and guide food design. Fortifying foods minimizing the oral dryness, rough, and puckering associated with many functional ingredients has been attracting interest in understanding oral astringency over the years. A variety of studies have explored the sensorial mechanisms and the food properties determining astringency perception. The present review provides a deeper understanding of astringency, a general view of the oral mechanisms involved, and the exciting variety of the latest methods used to direct and indirectly quantify and simulate the astringency perception and the specific mechanisms involved.

Influence of Age and Individual Differences on Mouthfeel Perception of Whey Protein-Fortified Products: A Review

“…Such a perceived texture change within the oral cavity usually results from the consumption of plant-derived products rich in polyphenols, such as tea, wine, nuts and fruit [ 108 , 109 ]. As highlighted in recent reviews, astringency is considered a ‘complex sensation’ and potentially derived from multiple mechanisms and often builds and persists post consumption [ 45 , 110 , 111 ]. Plant-derived protein beverages (fortified with pea and soy protein) have been shown to impart astringency sensations; however, this is proposed to result from their polyphenol content rather than as a direct result of the protein composition [ 98 , 112 , 113 ].…”

“…Accordingly, this review uses the term mouthdrying to describe whey protein-derived mouthdrying. However, astringency related oral drying from food models has been researched widely (see reviews [ 45 , 110 , 111 ]) compared with whey protein-derived mouthdrying and could, therefore, provide suggestions in terms of mechanisms, mitigating strategies and testing methods.…”

“…A recent review by Pires et al highlighted factors such as pH, temperature, saliva, viscosity and polysaccharides as being likely to influence astringency perception [ 45 ]. Furthermore, the detection thresholds for individuals vary for astringent stimuli, which are perhaps influenced by differences in the number of receptors [ 111 , 117 , 118 ].…”

“…A key limitation within this area is the inability to measure astringency effectively. Currently, no method has been developed to achieve this, though typically, a combined approach of direct and indirect methods is used, as highlighted in a recent review [ 45 ].…”

“…It is, therefore, important that whey protein-fortified products have consumer acceptance, which relies on a good sensory profile. However, recent reviews [ 45 , 46 ] have shown such products are associated with astringency or mouthdrying attributes. To date, such reviews have not considered the additional dimension of individual differences within the target population.…”