Texture is having a crunchy, gooey moment in the food and beverage industry. For many people, the way a menu item or packaged snack feels in the mouth has become as big a draw as flavor, although consumers don't always recognise the part texture plays in their cravings for crispier takeout, frothier coffees and juicier candies, according to industry experts. The importance of "mouthfeel", a food science term for oral sensation, has inspired new products like Starbucks' Aerocano, an air-whipped iced espresso; PowerCrunch, a waferlike protein bar; and Trolli Gummi Pops, which are frozen but still soft and chewy. "Texture drives consumer…
