ANALYSIS OF TEXTURAL CHANGES IN HARD CHEESE DURING MASTICATION BY PROGRESSIVE PROFILING

Progressive profiling allowed study of changes in textural attributes of hard cheese during mastication, each chew stroke having an effect. Perceptions of attributes were scored individually at each chew stroke from the start of chewing to swallowing, producing a changing profile of texture. Differences among cheeses in terms of coarseness/crumblin ess vs smoothness/creaminess and in rubberiness vs graininess were det ermined. The profile characteristics changed in different ways and at different rates, depending on the sample. Limited correlations were fo und between progressive profiling, descriptive analysis and instrument al force-deformation data.