Abstract: Food oral processing is based on the interaction between food and the human body, and interdisciplinary research on the release and perception of taste substances during food oral processing is a crucial prerequisite for designing foods that better meet consumers’ sensory preferences. This review summarizes the material bases and mechanisms of the five basic taste sensations: sour, sweet, bitter, umami, and salty, and discusses the traditional analytical and sensory evaluation methods for taste compounds in foods during oral processing, as well as brain science-based evaluation techniques. The aims of this review are to provide a scientific basis and data support for the precise regulation of food taste quality and bionic manufacturing, and to promote the high-quality development of food flavor design.

Key words: food oral processing; taste perception; saliva; dynamic sensory evaluation; brain signal characterization