Mastication of Carrots with Different Shapes Affects the Composition of the Salivary Proteome—A Pilot Study

Chewing is a sensorimotor activity that aims to prepare food for swallowing, in which saliva intervenes, moistening food particles, assisting in bolus formation, enzymatic digestion, and swallowing. This study investigated the effect of chewing carrots of different shapes on salivary secretion and p...

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Main Authors: María Pérez-Jiménez, Dora Boieiro, Carla Simões, Laura Carreira, Fernando Capela e Silva, Elsa Lamy
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2024-11-01
Series:Applied Sciences
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/14/23/11118
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author María Pérez-Jiménez
Dora Boieiro
Carla Simões
Laura Carreira
Fernando Capela e Silva
Elsa Lamy
author_facet María Pérez-Jiménez
Dora Boieiro
Carla Simões
Laura Carreira
Fernando Capela e Silva
Elsa Lamy
author_sort María Pérez-Jiménez
collection DOAJ
description Chewing is a sensorimotor activity that aims to prepare food for swallowing, in which saliva intervenes, moistening food particles, assisting in bolus formation, enzymatic digestion, and swallowing. This study investigated the effect of chewing carrots of different shapes on salivary secretion and protein profiles using 2-DE gel electrophoresis. Fifteen participants chewed sliced or grated carrots, or parafilm (non-food control), in a crossover design, with saliva samples collected before and after mastication. The results showed significant differences in salivation and saliva composition when chewing carrots vs. the control, with sliced carrots inducing greater changes: 37 protein spots, including amylase and immunoglobulin spots, 9 protein spots, and 1 protein spot were significantly altered after chewing sliced carrots, grated carrots, and parafilm, respectively. Mastication combined with the sensory properties of food had a greater effect on saliva secretion and salivary protein levels than mastication alone. Among carrot shapes, the results suggest that harder food textures, which require more chewing effort, lead to more pronounced changes in salivary protein profiles. These findings contribute to the understanding of how food shape and texture influence salivation and salivary proteome dynamics, with potential implications for oral digestion, food-related sensory experiences, and the personalisation of diets for individuals with a compromised chewing capacity.
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spelling doaj-art-8eacce60524040fa9ef3d73d4b2c6b782025-08-20T02:50:13ZengMDPI AGApplied Sciences2076-34172024-11-0114231111810.3390/app142311118Mastication of Carrots with Different Shapes Affects the Composition of the Salivary Proteome—A Pilot StudyMaría Pérez-Jiménez0Dora Boieiro1Carla Simões2Laura Carreira3Fernando Capela e Silva4Elsa Lamy5MED (Mediterranean Institute for Agriculture, Environment and Development) & CHANGE—Global Change and Sustainability Institute, University of Évora, 7002-554 Évora, PortugalHERCULES Lab—Cultural Heritage Studies and Safeguard, University of Évora, 7000-809 Évora, PortugalMED (Mediterranean Institute for Agriculture, Environment and Development) & CHANGE—Global Change and Sustainability Institute, University of Évora, 7002-554 Évora, PortugalMED (Mediterranean Institute for Agriculture, Environment and Development) & CHANGE—Global Change and Sustainability Institute, University of Évora, 7002-554 Évora, PortugalMED (Mediterranean Institute for Agriculture, Environment and Development) & CHANGE—Global Change and Sustainability Institute, University of Évora, 7002-554 Évora, PortugalMED (Mediterranean Institute for Agriculture, Environment and Development) & CHANGE—Global Change and Sustainability Institute, University of Évora, 7002-554 Évora, PortugalChewing is a sensorimotor activity that aims to prepare food for swallowing, in which saliva intervenes, moistening food particles, assisting in bolus formation, enzymatic digestion, and swallowing. This study investigated the effect of chewing carrots of different shapes on salivary secretion and protein profiles using 2-DE gel electrophoresis. Fifteen participants chewed sliced or grated carrots, or parafilm (non-food control), in a crossover design, with saliva samples collected before and after mastication. The results showed significant differences in salivation and saliva composition when chewing carrots vs. the control, with sliced carrots inducing greater changes: 37 protein spots, including amylase and immunoglobulin spots, 9 protein spots, and 1 protein spot were significantly altered after chewing sliced carrots, grated carrots, and parafilm, respectively. Mastication combined with the sensory properties of food had a greater effect on saliva secretion and salivary protein levels than mastication alone. Among carrot shapes, the results suggest that harder food textures, which require more chewing effort, lead to more pronounced changes in salivary protein profiles. These findings contribute to the understanding of how food shape and texture influence salivation and salivary proteome dynamics, with potential implications for oral digestion, food-related sensory experiences, and the personalisation of diets for individuals with a compromised chewing capacity.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/14/23/11118food oral processingmasticationchewingsalivary secretionsalivary proteomefood texture
spellingShingle María Pérez-Jiménez
Dora Boieiro
Carla Simões
Laura Carreira
Fernando Capela e Silva
Elsa Lamy
Mastication of Carrots with Different Shapes Affects the Composition of the Salivary Proteome—A Pilot Study
Applied Sciences
food oral processing
mastication
chewing
salivary secretion
salivary proteome
food texture
title Mastication of Carrots with Different Shapes Affects the Composition of the Salivary Proteome—A Pilot Study
title_full Mastication of Carrots with Different Shapes Affects the Composition of the Salivary Proteome—A Pilot Study
title_fullStr Mastication of Carrots with Different Shapes Affects the Composition of the Salivary Proteome—A Pilot Study
title_full_unstemmed Mastication of Carrots with Different Shapes Affects the Composition of the Salivary Proteome—A Pilot Study
title_short Mastication of Carrots with Different Shapes Affects the Composition of the Salivary Proteome—A Pilot Study
title_sort mastication of carrots with different shapes affects the composition of the salivary proteome a pilot study
topic food oral processing
mastication
chewing
salivary secretion
salivary proteome
food texture
url https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/14/23/11118
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