ABSTRACT
Texture, as much as ¤avor, determines the oral experience of foods. The consumer has a conditioned expectation of the mouthfeel of a product and if he does not sense what is expected, the product is often considered unacceptable: ice cream should be soft and creamy, pasta stretchy, potato chips crispy, and chocolate should melt slowly and smoothly in the mouth. Moreover, textural contrasts on a plate often add to the pleasure of eating.
