Mastication stage process

Mastication is process of ‘positioning the food between teeth and tongue so that it can be mashed and crushed as a primary digestion stage’.

Mastication or chewing is the first mechanical process in the gastrointestinal tract, by which the food substances are torn or cut into small particles and crushed or ground into a soft bolus.

Three stages have been identified:
Stage I: involves transport from the front of the mouth to the premolars and is characterized by low amplitude jaw movements. It is placing the food in an advantageous position with regard to the teeth.

Stage II: reduces particles size. By reducing the size of food particles, the surface are is increased for enzyme activity.

Stage III: pre-swallowing and the food moves to the back of the tongue by tongue-palate interaction

Significances of mastication:
*Breakdown of foodstuffs into smaller particles (comminution process)
*Mixing of saliva with food substances thoroughly
*Lubrication and moistening of dry food by saliva, so that the bus can be easily swallowed
*Appreciation of taste of the food

During cutting process, the food is comminuted by the action of the teeth into particles with size typically a few millimeters. The incisors provide a strong cutting action, while the posteriorly placed molars grind the ingested food.

As soon as food is placed in the mouth, saliva is secreted in response to mechanical stimulation and to the taste qualities of the food. Saliva mixes with food, acting as lubricant during the masticatory process.

Mixing with saliva also affects bolus formation, thus the decision for swallowing.
Mastication stage process

Process of mastication

Mastication is a complex process which pieces of food are crushed and ground by teeth and bought into a condition which is safe to be swallowed. When food is introduced into the mouth, it is moved by the tongue and then pressed against the palate which serves to indicate morphology.

A mouth-size portion of food is usually around 5 g. During mastication, this will usually be reduced by 2 to 3 orders of magnitude before going to the stomach.

During the chewing process, food particles are positioned on the surface of teeth by the cheek and tongue. The tongue, cheeks and lips are able to push the food between particular teeth.

As mastication continues, food is ground into fine particles, mixed with saliva and formed into a bolus. Oral secretion of saliva is by the salivary glands located under the tongue, between the jaw bones, at the lower jaw and beneath the ear.

A combination of mastication and saliva also causes aggregation of hard particles derived from brittle foods during mastication.

The rate of food is broken down during mastication are all important aspects of food texture. It is include the size, shape and mechanical properties.

The term ‘texture’ is used to describe how foods properties respond during the mastication process with respect to all mechanical and tactile.

The type of material strongly affects the average duration of mastication, for example an average mastication and swallow time of 22 seconds for hard solids such as peanuts and biscuits and 9 seconds for soft solid such as bananas and spreads, while low viscosity liquids reside in the mouth for around a second.

The reduction of the size of the food particles during the mastication process is also highly relevant to the flavor release of that food.

Flavor release is the substance in the food that finally reaches the flavor-sensitive organs located in the nose.

This process of mastication imparts pleasurable sensations that seem to fill a very basic human need. Chewing is a sensual that people enjoy throughout life, from the cradle to the grave.
Process of mastication