Abstract:To determine the key texture factors affecting the sweetness of gels, nine gels with different texture characteristics were established in this study. Their sweetness and texture characteristics were evaluated by descriptive analysis and verified by scanning gel fragments formed during oral chewing. According to the results, fragility and cohesiveness were the key texture factors that influenced the sweetness of gels. The results of gel fragment scanning showed that the samples with stronger friability and weaker cohesiveness produced more gel fragments and larger total surface area, which might be the reason for the stronger sweetness of the samples. Moreover, the sweetness of samples with lower fragility was also regulated by the moisture release, whereas that of samples with higher fragility was unaffected. The higher hardness and lower elasticity of the samples led to the formation of gel fragments with sharper edges, which required more chewing before swallowing, and resulted in more gel fragments, indirectly enhancing the sweetness of the gel.
