連続咀嚼筋電位の測定と解析

　In the palatability of food, texture is a major factor of food quality. The physical shear force value of meat has been measured. However, quantitative relationship and characterization between shear force value and tenderness as a sensory perception has not been clear. Therefore, a computer system was developed to analyze and to measure the electromyography (EMG) for mastication.
　The integral EMG values were almost constant by sequential mastication up to five times. The average of integral EMG values were 63.6 mV with tender meat of pork fillet and 153.8 mV with firm meat of beef round, giving a ratio of 2.4 times. The shear force values of similar samples were 2,300 g and 8,300 g each, and the ratio was 3.6 times. Sensory texture of the subjective feeling was 3ﾝ4 times that corresponded with the shear force value. The integral EMG value could be thought to compress the amount of texture sense.
　The integral EMG varied greatly in food, and showed lower value in order of boiled fish surimi, steamed fish paste, pork sausage, konnyaku (devil’s tongue), pork fillet, beef loin, pork ham portion, roast beef, pork loin and beef round. Generally this order reflected the sensory texture of chewing. The deviation of the integral EMG value was smaller than expected, so it has a definite possibility for practical use.