Newest Food Trend Affects Food Texture

Increasing consumer demand for natural and unprocessed food products is creating a new challenge in food product development. Until now, food scientists have always been able to put texture development on the back burner, turning to it only after flavor has been fully optimized, but not anymore. This is because the range of “acceptable” ingredients typically used to manipulate and design texture is shrinking. Products that are gluten free, or have fiber added, are especially creating challenges for scientists.

With so much of our perception of taste coming from the texture of foods that we’re eating, it will be a challenge to create natural foods that still have a satisfying taste and texture. While many of us really want healthier products, I’m curious to see at what cost. How will consumers respond to the taste and texture differences in some of their favorite products? Will our demand for all-natural tortilla chips wane after we discover that they may never be as thin and light as a typical restaurant style tortilla chip? I think in order for all-natural foods to go completely mainstream, product developers may have to find a way to alter our palates’ not so much the texture of our foods.

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