Brandon McClimonUniversity of Pennsylvania
“Beyond Taste: The Science of Mouthfeel”
Why does a stout feel creamy, sparkling water feel sharp, yogurt feel silky, or red wine leave your mouth feeling dry? Much of what we experience when eating and drinking isn’t actually taste at all—it is mouthfeel, a complex sensory response to how a food or beverage flows, deforms, lubricates, coats, and interacts with the surfaces of the mouth. In this talk, we’ll explore the emerging science of measuring mouthfeel, from the rheology of flowing liquids to the surprisingly important role of friction between the tongue and palate. We’ll see how laboratory instruments can help connect ingredients and processing to human perception, why seemingly similar foods can feel completely different, and whether science might eventually allow us to design foods and beverages with the same precision that we engineer other materials.