ABSTRACT Polymer powders are widely used to modify texture and perceived skin feel in cosmetics, yet how particulates influence friction in realistic, skin‐like contacts remains unclear. This study quantifies the frictional response of cosmetic powders in compliant, model skin surfaces to provide formulation‐relevant insights into tactile performance. We tested five powders of varying polymer types and particle sizes/distributions using a rheometer configured for friction measurements in skin‐like contacts, with a fixed normal load and sliding speed. Commercial model counter faces with engineered microtopography reproduced the contact geometry and compliance of human skin. The coefficient of friction was measured, revealing a reproducible, sample‐dependent trajectory. Complementary particle sizing/imaging, surface topography analysis, and trained panel testing supported interpretation of tribological data. Results show that finer powders promote particle entrainment into the contact, reducing the coefficient of friction. This offers actionable guidance for formulators aiming to optimize tactile comfort. This approach enabled discrimination of the powder samples by their frictional behavior.
ABSTRACT Age‐related decline in oral function alters the ability of older adults to fracture, comminute, hydrate, lubricate, and transform foods into transportable boluses, increasing the need for texture‐modified foods. Current food‐texture standards provide a common language for classifying foods and liquids but do not determine whether a specific food texture is orally manageable for an individual. This systematic scoping review and evidence map synthesized Asian evidence on food oral processing, oral function, food‐texture properties, bolus formation, texture‐modified foods, and food‐texture standards to evaluate the evidence supporting a Masticatory Texture Threshold (MTT) framework. Following PRISMA‐ScR‐informed methods, records from Web of Science, PubMed, and targeted Google Scholar searches were screened, resulting in 136 eligible studies from 5926 identified records. The evidence was concentrated in Japan, South Korea, and China and was dominated by studies on gel/model‐food characterization, texture‐modified food development, and oral‐function assessment. Directional synthesis consistently linked greater texture demand with increased chewing effort, reduced occlusal support with impaired mastication, lower tongue pressure and saliva availability with compromised food handling and bolus formation, and multidimensional texture properties including hardness, adhesiveness, cohesiveness, lubrication, and viscosity with oral processing and swallowing‐related outcomes. Existing standards effectively classify food textures but rarely integrate person‐specific oral‐processing capacity with texture selection, and no included study validated a complete person‐level texture recommendation protocol. We therefore propose MTT as a framework for prospective validation of individual oral manageability of chewable foods, linking eating capability, oral‐processing capacity, multidimensional texture demand, bolus readiness, and downstream nutrition‐related outcomes. In this framework, oral‐processing capacity is nested within the broader construct of eating capability, and nutrition‐related outcomes serve as downstream validation endpoints rather than criteria defining the threshold. Future studies should prospectively validate MTT using standardized oral‐processing endpoints, real‐food translation, and existing texture standards.
ABSTRACT A dry sorbet premix must remain manageable as a powder and still develop an appropriate structure after reconstitution and freezing. This study compared a sucrose‐containing control with a strawberry–oat premix in which sucrose was replaced by maltodextrin, inulin, and a commercial high‐intensity sweetener blend. Three independently prepared batches were evaluated in the dry state and after reconstitution and dynamic freezing. The sucrose‐replaced powder had a higher angle of repose (44° vs. 39°) and a lower compaction force (2.65 vs. 7.65 N); both powders wetted in approximately 4 s. It also contained modestly more total dietary fiber (4.76% vs. 4.27%), whereas the reported protein and carbohydrate‐by‐difference estimates did not differ statistically. The prepared sucrose‐replaced sorbet required a higher back‐extrusion force (6.50 vs. 4.25 N), retained a similar overrun (approximately 50%), and showed less drainage in the available melting profile. The composition and texture results were considered together, but no correlation coefficient was calculated because only two formulations were studied and replicate‐level rheology and melting series were unavailable. Replacing sucrose therefore created a powder–texture trade‐off; the findings do not establish nutritional superiority or isolate individual ingredient effects.
ABSTRACT Excessive sodium consumption is a primary driver of modern health adversities, prompting the dairy industry to seek reduction strategies that do not compromise product integrity. This study aimed to investigate the influence of β‐lactoglobulin (β‐lg) nanostructures, containing encapsulated quercetin and vitamin B2, on the functional and structural profile of low‐sodium Minas Frescal cheese. Using a central composite rotatable design (CCRD), the research evaluated the effects of three independent variables: sodium chloride (NaCl; 5–20 g L − 1 ) concentration, potassium chloride (KCl; 5–20 g L − 1 ) concentration, and β‐lg nanostructure concentration (5–10 mg kg − 1 ). Among the evaluated responses, pH, titratable acidity, cohesiveness, springiness, hardness, and chewiness were not significantly affected by the incorporation of β‐lg nanostructures. In contrast, electrical conductivity ranged from 1.28 to 3.92 mS cm − 1 and was significantly influenced by the salt composition, with KCl showing the greatest effect, while adhesiveness was primarily affected by NaCl concentration. The optimized formulation consisted of 2.5% total salt (50% NaCl and 50% KCl) supplemented with 7.5 mg kg − 1 β‐lg nanostructures, maintaining the physicochemical and textural characteristics of conventional Minas Frescal cheese. These findings demonstrate that β‐lg nanostructures provide a stable delivery platform for bioactive compounds and enable the development of low‐sodium Minas Frescal cheese without compromising product quality.
ABSTRACT Wheat noodles are widely consumed staple foods, but their quality, shelf life, and sustainability remain strongly dependent on controlling interactions among ingredients and processing conditions. This review synthesizes recent scientific advances in wheat noodle production, highlights key mechanisms governing structure formation, quality improvement, preservation, and emerging manufacturing strategies. Noodle quality is primarily determined by the established three‐dimensional gluten–starch network. Mechanical sheeting promotes gluten alignment and disulfide cross‐linking, thereby producing a dense structure that improves firmness, elasticity, and cooking stability. Alkaline salts further enhance protein interactions while generating yellow color, whereas phosphate salts strengthen gluten–starch cohesion, reduce cooking loss, and suppress enzymatic browning through metal‐ion sequestration. Integrated preservation approaches by combining acid treatments, natural antimicrobials, and active packaging technologies have demonstrated substantial extensions of shelf life in fresh noodles. The review also highlights digitalization as a major direction for the industry. The incorporation of artificial intelligence, data‐driven and sensor‐based monitoring systems could enable real‐time process monitoring and adaptive control of raw‐material variability. Meanwhile, the incorporation of millets, plant proteins, dietary fibers, and agro‐industrial by‐products offers opportunities to enhance nutritional value, although their levels must be optimized to avoid compromising gluten development and sensory properties. Overall, future wheat noodle manufacturing will depend on mechanistic understanding, advanced preservation, digital process control, and sustainable ingredient utilization to achieve consistent quality, improved nutritional value, and environmental sustainability.
