Author(s)

Satomi Miyaoka¹, Yozo Miyaoka^2*

¹Department of Eating Disorder and Dysphagia, Graduate School of Rehabilitation, Niigata University of Rehabilitation, Murakami, Japan.
²Department of Health and Nutrition, Niigata University of Health and Welfare, Niigata, Japan.

This study aimed to analyze frequencies of flavor detection signals occurring in any of the three respiratory phases and either of the two masticatory phases. Flavors of three fruity (grape, orange, and strawberry) gummy candies in the mouth were detected after chewing in 24 young healthy participants. The results revealed that: 1) more detection signals occurred in the expiratory phase than in the inspiratory or pausing phases and 2) more detection signals occurred in the jaw-closing phase than in the jaw-opening phase. Statistical analysis showed that the difference between the frequencies among the three respiratory phases was significant (P < 0.001) but not between the two masticatory phases. Further analysis showed that the frequencies occurring within individual respiratory phases were not significantly biased. The present results suggest that flavor detection during chewing depends more on the expiratory phase rather than the inspiratory and pausing phases, whereas detection is dependent to a lesser extent on either of the masticatory phases.

Respiratory Phase, Masticatory Phase, Flavor Detection

Miyaoka, S. and Miyaoka, Y. (2017) Influence of Breathing and Chewing on Timing of Flavor Detection. Journal of Behavioral and Brain Science, 7, 1-8. doi: 10.4236/jbbs.2017.71001.