ELECTRICAL ACTION CURRENTS DURING MASTICATION

MEASUREMENT OF THE EFFORT EXERTED IN CHEWING VARIOUS FOODS

¹ Department of Pathology, Queens General Hospital, Jamaica, N. Y.

By means of the electromyogram, the energy produced during chewing was measured. On photographs of the action currents, the amplitude of oscillation was read directly in millivolts.

Differences in chewing habits can generally not be established by history taking. Most individuals consider that they chew a normal amount, though the vigor of mastication varies extremely. Objective analysis and measurement can portray the chewing habits and the functional values of various foods.

Most ordinarily available foods require a minimal amount of mastication before deglutition. The foods that require more mastication were found to be well-baked bread crust, undercooked rice, mature coconut meat, and, particularly, sugar cane. Contrary to common belief, toast, biscuit, chewing gum, raw vegetables, and fruits require little chewing if the vigor and not duration of mastication is under scrutiny.