the force necessary to attain a given deformation (sometimes called
firmness). In sensory analysis, it is the force required to compress a
food between molars in the first bite. Fracturability (F) has been
defined as a measure of the ease with which a material fractures
(sometimes called brittleness). Adhesiveness (A) represents the
work required to pull the compressive probe away from the sample.
In sensory analyses, it represents the work necessary to overcome
the attractive forces between the surface of the food and the surface
of the material with which the food comes into contact (e.g. tongue,
teeth, palate). Cohesiveness (C) represents the strength of the in-
ternal bonds making up the body of the product. It is expected to be
inversely proportional to the rate at which the material fractures
under mechanical action. In other words, the lower the cohesive-
ness of a material, the more brittle it will be. Springiness (S) is
related to the height that the food recovers during the time that
elapses between the end of the first bite and the start of the second
bite. It represents the rate at which a deformed material goes back
to its undeformed condition after deforming force is removed
(originally it was called elasticity). Gumminess (G) represents the
energy required to disintegrate a semi-solid food product to a state
ready for swallowing.