Perception of Thickness, Mouth Coating and Mouth Drying of Dairy Beverages by Younger and Older Volunteers

Sensory perception has been found to change during ageing. The perception of mouthfeel by older adults, and the role of ageing on the sensory perception of texture attributes is uncertain. This study investigated perception of the textural attributes of thickness, mouth coating and mouth drying, in the context of dairy beverages, by older and younger adults. Just noticeable differences of a starch thickener and for cream concentration within milk were established for thickness and mouth-coating perception, finding no age-related differences between participant groups. Mouth drying was assessed through the directional paired comparison of a mouth-drying milk beverage to a skimmed milk sample. The older adults were found to be more sensitive to mouth drying (P=0.03) than the younger adults. This study found no age-related decline in texture perception with older adults finding perception of some attributes such as mouth drying enhanced by ageing. Practical Applications Texture is an important attribute of food and beverages at any age. The decline of olfaction, flavor and taste perception with age may force older adults to put more emphasis on texture attributes; therefore, understanding the perception of textural cues in the mouth is very important. This study found texture perception of thickness, mouth coating and mouth drying may not only be preserved but in the case of mouth drying enhanced during ageing. This may impact on the enjoyment and consumption of foods of older adults, especially during illness or when taking medication. This research study is essential in showing the impact of ageing on texture perception and highlight to the food industry, hospitals and care homes the importance of texture attributes when developing foods and meals for older adults and patients.