Oral tribology: update on the relevance to study astringency in wines

Oral tribology is emerging as a new paradigm to quantify friction and lubrication of food-saliva mixtures in the oral mucosa. Recently, oral tribology has captured research attention in quantifying wine astringency, a characteristic ‘dryness feeling’, which strongly impacts consumer preference. Henc...

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Bibliographic Details
Authors: Laguna Cruañes, Laura, Sarkar, Anwesha
Format: article
Status:Versión aceptada para publicación
Publication Date:2017
Country:España
Institution:Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC)
Repository:DIGITAL.CSIC. Repositorio Institucional del CSIC
OAI Identifier:oai:digital.csic.es:10261/194170
Online Access:http://hdl.handle.net/10261/194170
Access Level:Open access
Keyword:Oral tribology
Astringency
Wine
Proline-rich proteins
Mucin
Saliva
Lubrication
Tannins
Description
Summary:Oral tribology is emerging as a new paradigm to quantify friction and lubrication of food-saliva mixtures in the oral mucosa. Recently, oral tribology has captured research attention in quantifying wine astringency, a characteristic ‘dryness feeling’, which strongly impacts consumer preference. Hence, this paper aims to provide a concise review of oral tribology in the context of wine astringency. Firstly, the important roles of ‘biolubricant’ saliva, salivary proteins and current tribo-pairs used in oral tribology measurements are reviewed. Then, we have discussed the key mechanisms of wine astringency involving polyphenol-salivary protein interactions (hydrogen bonding, hydrophobic interactions), rupture of the lubricating salivary film and oral sensation of discrete particles. Studies employing Stribeck curve analysis and microstructural characterisation to understand polyphenol-salivary protein interactions are reviewed. Finally, we highlighted the need for bio-relevant tribo-pairs, simulated oral conditions and tribology-sensory correlation, before such quantification can be used to characterise wine astringency at a commercial level.