Chocolate coats tongue to give melt-in-mouth sensation, study finds

The irresistible melt-in-the-mouth sensation of chocolate comes down to the way it lubricates the tongue, according to scientists. A study investigated the physical process by which a solid square of chocolate morphs into a smooth emulsion. It found that chocolate released a fatty film that coats the tongue, giving a smooth sensation for the entire time it is in the mouth. Dr Siavash Soltanahmadi, the study’s lead researcher at the University of Leeds, said the findings could be used to design low-fat chocolate that mimicked the sensation of a high-fat product.