Online Exclusive: Articulating Texture for Food

By Harold Nicoll and Matt Patrick, Contributing Editors

Trying to describe the texture of food was once like trying to describe what was funny or pretty, or how love felt. It is difficult to assign words and phrases that adequately describe emotions, sensations or other experiences. For example: Is this soup creamy" or creamy enough" or too creamy"? The example of creaminess is an illustration of how a list of descriptive terms can be built. Creaminess is an integrated term built from three different attributes: thickness, mouth coating and mouth clearing. Most food gums contribute to thickness, but there are other gums required to manipulate the other two attributes. Some might believe that texture is old news, but approaching its development in a disciplined and quantifiable way is not. Description is limited because the meaning of words is also an individual experience, dependent on the individual and his/her experiences. Language has its limitations because meaning does not only come from words. Understanding what meaning a communicator intends can come also from facial expressions, tone of voice, pace and other gestures. So, articulating a word list of the attributes that make food and drink feel a certain way when consumed is difficult. While each experience with food texture is as unique as the individual consuming it, the food-development industry needs a way to describe the effect texture delivers, and how it can enhance flavor and the overall eating experience. And, even if experience differed, a list of agreed to descriptive terms is needed.

To fill this need, TIC Gums developed the Texture Revolution, a lexicon of terms to fully describe texture within the limits that written language allows. Considered a tool for developers, this lexicon of well-defined expressions will help food scientists and developers better express the desired textural qualities desired in food products early in the development process.  Included in the lexicon is a comprehensive roster of descriptive terms and their definitions, and a texture-mapping process with approximately 50 (and counting) complete texture attribute maps. The new language of texture is a more powerful way to express, plan and execute the characteristics that will give food products improved consumer acceptance.

Inventing the language of texture

Developing the lexicon and the attribute maps was an involved process. A team of experts spent months developing and cataloging traits and definitions. The lexicon remains a work in progress, with new definitions and attributes added on a regular basis.  It took more than a year to assign qualities associated with liquids, solids and semi-solids, and to even agree on what these were. These evaluations included how products looked, how they behaved in different situations, and how they were experienced during all steps in consumption. When the lexicon was ready, the same team spent hundreds of hours inspecting, tasting and mapping the individual texture attribute maps.

Manipulating texture

Food developers can generate significant innovation and product variety by focusing on the fundamental characteristics associated with texture. Without a common language, developing or designing food products was more challenging than it had to be. Further, manipulating texture was often not part of the product design criteria. Or, texture was developed at the end of the development process. While flavor is well understood and easier to describe, texture is much less so. With more specific ways to communicate common understanding of desired experiences, better food products can be developed and delivered more efficiently than before.

Gum or starch or both?

Gums and starches can be used to manipulate texture, separately or in combination. Each starch and every gum will impact textural attributes differently. For example, starch can impart a very specific short" texture to a sauce or dairy product. 

Gums, like carrageenan, will contribute very noticeable mouth-clearing effects. The utility of the lexicon is that is can help developers not only simply purchase ingredients, but develop lists of attributes related to the desired texture early in the development process. Based on the desired textural attributes needed, a food scientist can match those to the available solutions. The lexicon and the accompanying attribute maps were not based on any single gum or ingredient, but on the evaluation of hundreds of food items, allowing the food scientist to leverage the best agents for the desired purpose. The benefit to the food industry is a better and faster way to achieve pleasing eating experiences.

Evaluating textural attributes

During development of the lexicon, each term and food item was rigorously evaluated. Evaluations began before the item was ever tasted. The appearance of products in their containers, on a spoon or  fork, or on a plate was considered as part of the evaluation. For tasting, appraisal included the entire process from passing the lips to final swallowing and lingering aftertaste. Did the product sit on the tongue, pack the teeth, or have a cooling or drying impact? Those were some of the textural attributes evaluated and recorded. Will the product retain its shape, sit on a spoon, or does it have visible particulates? Was the product easy to cut, did it snap when bent, how resistant to stretching was it? Separating the texture assessment into steps with quantifiable results made the publication of results possible, and anyone can do it. The only thing needed is time and the agreement that it is an important part of the development and evaluation process.

The importance of texture

Developers can generate significant innovation with new or reformulated products by changing the texture of any food item. For example, thin, watery chocolate milk can transform into a rich and satisfying occurrence when the texture is changed. The same is true for just about any consumable.

The lexicon provides the industry with a process for detailed texture descriptions that will lead to more desirable products. The ultimate beneficiary will be consumers who adopt innovative food and/or beverage formulations sooner than later.

Harold Nicoll is the marketing manager for TIC Gums. With over 25 years in the marketing and communications business, he is a veteran industry writer with a masters degree in strategic public relations from The George Washington University, Washington, DC, and a bachelor of arts degree from The University of Houston.

Mathew (Matt) Patrick is vice president of research and development for TIC Gums. He is an expert food product developer and the inventor of The Texture Revolution." Patrick earned his B.S. in chemical engineering and M.S. in biotechnology from Northwestern University, Chicago.