FOOD PHYSICAL PROPERTY ASSESSMENT METHOD

Provided is a food physical property evaluation method in which a change in food properties in an oral cavity is simulated and a physical quantity corresponding to perception in the oral cavity is obtained. The food physical property evaluation method includes: placing a food to be evaluated on a lower occlusal part 21 of a lower plunger 20 which has a shape to occlude with an upper occlusal part 11 of an upper plunger 10 and is provided to face the upper occlusal part 11 of the upper plunger 10; causing at least one of the upper plunger 10 and the lower plunger 20 to perform a reciprocating linear movement in a linear direction in which the upper plunger 10 and the lower plunger 20 are occluded and separated, causing at least one of the upper plunger 10 and the lower plunger 20 to perform a reciprocating rotation movement in a rotation direction with the linear direction as a rotation axis, and adjusting a pressure applied between the upper plunger 10 and the lower plunger 20 by a method other than pneumatics; and measuring a physical quantity including a force and a torque applied to the upper plunger 10 or the lower plunger 20, and evaluating food physical properties based on the obtained physical quantity.