Food D1: Food Texture

Texture refers to a very complicated sensory process related to food. The mouth is a basic organ that helps us perceive texture. We can say that "the mouth not only taste food but also 'see' it." When food enters the mouth, it activates nerve endings and receptors that are sensitive to temperature, pressure, and pain. All of these contribute to what we call "mouthfeel." Our body has millions of sensory receptors that help us understand the world around us. In the mouth, there are some special receptors that helps us detect texture and firmness of food. These receptors can be found in other parts of the body, but they are found in much higher density in the mouth. Mouthfeel and food texture are two important indicators that allow people to accurately identify different foods. For example, if we grind food into the paste, it becomes much harder to tell exactly what type of food we just ate.