Food Texture as a Driver of Flavor Perception: Mechanisms, Variation Across Consumers, and Implications for Product Design

The exploration of food texture as a determinant of flavor perception sits at the intersection of sensory science, food rheology, and consumer behavior. Over the past decades, research has demonstrated that texture is not merely a tactile property but a dynamic contributor to flavor release and perception. Rheological parameters such as viscosity, elasticity, and gel strength affect how tastants and volatile compounds are released, while also influencing mouthfeel and chemesthetic sensations. Despite this understanding, significant gaps remain in mapping the precise mechanisms through which texture modulates flavor, particularly given the considerable inter-individual variability in perception. Emerging evidence suggests that genetic factors, age-related changes, and prior sensory experiences shape personal responses to textural cues, yet these influences are rarely integrated into food design frameworks.This Research Topic aims to unite disciplines spanning food rheology, sensory psychophysics, and consumer science to address how texture drives flavor perception and how this knowledge can support more inclusive product design. The goal is to clarify the mechanistic underpinnings of texture–flavor interactions, illuminate the psychosensory and physiological factors that explain consumer variability, and translate these findings into actionable design principles for foods tailored to diverse populations. Key objectives include identifying predictive relationships between textural attributes and sensory outcomes, evaluating texture-flavor coupling across contexts, and developing methodological tools that link physical measurements to perceptual data.To gather further insights into how textural properties influence the sensory experience and inform the development of consumer-responsive foods, we welcome articles addressing, but not limited to, the following themes:- Mechanisms of texture–taste and texture–aroma interactions, including tastant and volatile release from structured food matrices- Psychophysics of mouthfeel, with emphasis on temporal sensory methods such as TDS and TI applied to textured systems- Individual and population-level variability in texture–flavor perception, including genetic, developmental, and cultural influences- Sensory consequences of texture modifications in clinical or vulnerable populations, such as individuals with dysphagia or altered oral function due to illness- Predictive and computational models linking rheological or tribological properties to flavor and mouthfeel outcomes- Product design strategies that integrate texture–flavor interaction data for multisensory optimization and consumer satisfaction. Topic editors: Alissa Allen Nolden Source: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/81908/food-texture-as-a-driver-of-flavor-perception-mechanisms-variation-across-consumers-and-implications-for-product-design