Core Viewpoint - A new artificial tongue developed by East China University of Science and Technology can accurately measure the spiciness of various foods, providing a significant advancement in food quality control [1][2][5]. Group 1: Research Overview - The research titled "A Soft and Flexible Artificial Tongue for Pungency Perception" focuses on the precise measurement of spiciness, which is crucial for food quality control [2][5]. - The artificial tongue is made from a gel that includes milk powder, acrylic acid, and choline chloride, which allows it to detect spiciness through changes in electrical conductivity when interacting with capsaicin, the compound responsible for the heat in peppers [6][8]. Group 2: Methodology and Results - The research team tested the artificial tongue with eight different types of peppers, creating a spiciness scale from 0 to 70, ranging from mild to extremely spicy [6][8]. - The results showed a strong correlation between the artificial tongue's measurements and those of trained human taste testers, indicating its potential to replace human taste testing for spicy foods [6][8]. Group 3: Performance Characteristics - The artificial tongue can detect spicy compounds within a wide range (0.0001 - 1% wt %) and demonstrates high sensitivity (0.259% wt % - 1) and a rapid response time of less than 10 seconds [8]. - This technology opens up possibilities for applications in mobile humanoid robots and portable spiciness monitoring devices, enhancing the food industry’s ability to assess flavor profiles [8].