*2.2.2 Texture analysis*

The texture is an important trait of food characterized by its mechanical, geometrical, surface, and body attributes detected by senses of vision, hearing, touch, and kinesthetics [107, 108]. The mechanical attributes have to do with the qualities of the food under stress conditions; like hardness, cohesiveness, elasticity, and adhesiveness. In contrast, the geometrical attributes are related to the size, shape, and structural arrangement of the product. The surface attribute has to do with the sensations produced (in the mouth) around or in the surface of the product by moisture and fat or either of the two; similarly, the body attributes are related to the feelings produced in the mouth and how the moisture and fat or both are released [109]. Of recent, instrumental texture analysis has proven to be efficient in evaluating the mechanical and physical qualities of the raw and finished product, of which the application of texture analyzer is a well-established protocol. A texture analyzer *A Review on the Cooking Attributes of African Yam Bean (*Sphenostylis stenocarpa*) DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.99674*

is used for evaluating the hardness, fragility, adhesiveness, springiness, cohesiveness, gumminess, chewiness, and resilience of food [54, 88]. The instrument is easy to operate; it eliminates subjective judgment, as may be found in sensory evaluations [109]. The selection of a probe for use during analysis is dependent on the type of test, which could be a compression test, penetration (puncture) test, traction (tension). The different texture analysis test types were previously reviewed [109]. The texture analyzer has been applied in several texture studies in legumes, fruits, vegetables, meat, milk, among others [109, 110].
