Cohesiveness

“Cohesiveness” is a physical expression for the cohesive forces in a material and, hence, the extent to which it can be deformed before it breaks. In sensory terms, the cohesiveness of a food means how much it must be compressed before it goes to pieces. Some types of cohesiveness are described as “tough” or “gummy.” “Leathery” is applied to food that is both gummy and very tough. “Tender” is used to characterize food that has little resistance to being chewed into pieces. “Firm” denotes food that is able to withstand chewing to a moderate degree. “Crunchy” is used when the food can be broken down into smaller pieces a little at a time, such as a cookie, and the pieces have less resistance with each successive bit of chewing. “Crunchy” and “crisp” are often used interchangeably.