Effects of Cross-sectional Area on Human Bite Studied with Raw Carrot and Surimi Gel

The effects of the cross-sectional area of food samples on bite force with molar teeth were investigated using raw carrots and surimi gels. We evaluated human bite force for food samples with different sizes between the upper and lower molars using a multiple-point sheet sensor and electromyography (EMG). The bite force curve and EMG clearly showed textural characteristics of the carrot and gel. In particular, the first peak in the bite curves corresponded to breaking point in the compression test. With increasing cross-sectional area of both foodstuffs, the bite force and contact area increased and the average stress to which the specimen was subjected (mean stress) tended to decrease, while the stress produced between the teeth and the specimen (active stress) did not change. Chewing rhythm and EMG activities were not greatly influenced by sample size. These findings suggest that higher bite force might cause difficulty in biting food with a larger cross-sectional area.