Researchers at the East China University of Science and Technology have made significant strides in food science with their latest innovation: an artificial tongue designed to measure spiciness levels in foods.

This gel-based device, dubbed the 'chili-meter', delivers rapid and precise assessments of pungency, which could significantly enhance food quality control without subjecting human testers to the discomfort of tasting intensely spicy dishes.

By drawing inspiration from the soothing properties of milk, the team at ECUST mixed milk powder, acrylic acid, and choline chloride to create a soft, flexible gel that mimics the natural process of relieving spiciness.

The underlying mechanism of the device is based on how milk proteins bond with capsaicin, the active compound responsible for the heat in chili peppers, effectively reducing the burning sensation, as outlined in their study published in ACS Sensors.

In a similar manner, when capsaicin interacts with the artificial tongue's milk proteins, it forms larger clusters that disrupt the flow of ions, resulting in a decrease in electric current. This change serves as a reliable indicator for measuring heat.

The research team tested eight different types of chili peppers, establishing a spiciness scale ranging from 0 for bland to 70 for extremely spicy. These results were compared with evaluations from trained human sensory panelists.

Remarkably, the measurements from the artificial tongue closely aligned with the panels’ consensus, affirming its reliability in assessing spiciness levels.

The potential applications for this technological innovation are vast, with researchers suggesting its utility in developing movable humanoid robots and portable devices for monitoring spice levels in food.