Individual Presentation: The Impact of Food Texture on Oral Processing and Appetite Regulation: Insights and Opportunities

In recent years, the importance of food texture in regulating appetite and digestion has become increasingly evident, moving beyond the traditional focus on nutrient composition. Food texture profoundly impacts eating rate, a factor consistently linked to food and energy intake. Studies suggest that the rapid eating rate associated with softer textured foods partly explains the link between ultra-processed food consumption and obesity.

In this presentation, state-of-the-art insights will be presented into how dietary textural modifications influence food and energy intake, both in the short and long term. A deep dive into the mechanisms by which various textural properties influence oral processing and eating rate will be presented. Key oral processing characteristics that particularly influence both eating rate and food intake include bite size and chewing behavior. This presentation will elaborate how specific textural attributes—including dryness, lubrication, hardness, elasticity, and dimensional properties—affect these key oral processing characteristics. Proof-of-principle examples will be illustrated, ranging from foods with uniform textures to the complex interplay of multiple textures in composite dishes and meals.

The current evidence highlights an exciting, underexplored opportunity: using texture manipulation to regulate the flow of calories through our diets and to support better long-term energy intake control. Future research should delve deeper into how food structures and textures influence dynamic sensory perception, enjoyment, and reward. Designing innovative food structures that maximize sensory appeal from each calorie consumed allows for smaller caloric portion sizes without compromising on the overall eating experience.