Juiciness Has a Timeline, Not Just a Score

The University of Southern Denmark is presenting a poster at EuroSense 2026 in Oslo, held from 8 to 11 September, on juiciness in plant-based meat alternatives during mastication. The work explicitly addresses the temporal dimension of texture: what matters is not only a person’s final judgement, but when moisture release, structure, resistance and breakdown are perceived during a bite.

That approach is useful for meat sensory assessment as well. Juiciness is neither an isolated property nor simply another word for water. In the eating experience it relates to juice release, melted fat, water-holding capacity, particle size, connective tissue, temperature and the number of chews. One sample may feel juicy initially and become dry later; another may release moisture late, after perceived tenderness has already changed.

The contribution is a peer-reviewed scientific poster, not a claim of product superiority or a commercial recommendation. Its value lies in the method: observing texture throughout the act of eating can reveal differences that remain hidden in an overall liking score or a single juiciness scale.

For tastings, training and product development, this suggests a practical adjustment. Protocols should ask panellists to describe the sensory sequence: first bite, mastication phase, juice release, breakdown and aftertaste. Familiar terms such as juicy, tender or fibrous then become more comparable and more useful for linking raw material, process and actual eating experience.