In the present study, we used a basic bread porridge (gel-style), which was prepared with bread and liquid food whose milk content was partially replaced with salad oil. We investigated whether the addition of semi-liquid foods to the surface of basic bread porridge would affect the ease of swallowing. The bread porridge sample at 20°C was found to be significantly harder than that at 45°C. In the sensory evaluation, the subjects described the bread porridge samples at 20°C with semi-liquid foods added to the surface as being “less sticky in the mouth, and easier to eat” than the basic bread porridge. Furthermore, samples at 20°C were found to form significantly softer bolus in the mouth, and the difference between the textural properties of bolus samples before swallowing became smaller ones. The bread porridge sample with semi-liquid foods added to the surface at 45°C was found to require muscle activity for a shorter duration during swallowing than did the basic porridge sample at 20°C.

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Combinations of different sizes and shapes of the tableware used in “Ichiju-sansai” (a Japanese traditional menu style) were investigated to demonstrate to beginners the important aspects of food arrangement involving tableware during serving. We examined the different sizes to determine the most favourable size for tableware. Ten combination size patterns of main dish plate, side dish I, and side dish II bowls were determined taking a 1.0 ratio for rice and soup bowls. The undergraduate students evaluated them according to their preferences. Food was arranged on the tableware during evaluation. For all the ten patterns, the evaluated mean value was the highest for the a rice and soup bowls to main dish ratio of 2.5, rice and soup bowls to side dish I ratio of 1.5, and rice and soup bowls to side dish II ratio of 1.0. This was considered a basic pattern. The effect of shape with the same basic size on preference was examined using conjoint analysis. Eight different shapes were used. The panellists were women with experience in teaching cooking. It was found that the favourable shape patterns correspond to the combination of a main dish plate with a vertical to horizontal dimension ratio of 1:1.6 and a side dish I bowl with a vertical to horizontal dimension ratio of 1:1.

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In the present study, we examined the effects of heating and treatment with commercial enzymes on soybean texture. Soybeans were prepared by boiling for 60 min with (NB) or without (NA) enzyme treatment, or in a pressure cooker for 3 min with (PB) or without enzyme treatment (PA). Soybean weight, physical properties, and protein content were analyzed. Mastication was evaluated by electromyography and palatability was assessed using a sensory test. Our experiments revealed that weight and cohesiveness increased markedly in PA and PB soybeans compared to that in NA and NB soybeans. In addition, PA and PB soybeans had low penetration stress, short chewing time, and high palatability. Furthermore, NB and PB soybeans required fewer chewing cycles and shorter chewing time and were found to be softer and easier to chew during a sensory test. These results demonstrate that it takes less time for samples to become softer, easily aggregate, and become palatable, when they are treated with enzyme and heated in a pressure cooker.

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