Classifying crunch

Cargill has introduced a system for scientifically classifying the level of crunchiness in chewing gum coating.

Bart Cortebeeck, the confectionery application specialist who developed the concept says: “Consumers like to hear and feel a ‘crunch’ when they bite into coated confectionery products.

“The crunch is a combination of auditory and tactile sensation. In that sense, crunchiness is different from hardness. Hardness is a purely physical characteristic of the product as the product is bitten into, whereas crunchiness is related to brittleness. Typically, the harder and more brittle a coating, the crunchier,” he adds.