ABSTRACTThis study develops a method to describe chewing behaviour, for individual subjects, based on data obtained from electromyograms recorded from the temporalis and masseter muscles during consumption of selected food samples. The data include measurements of the duration of the chewing sequence, the chew rate, the chewing work performed and its apportionment within the chewing sequence, manipulation of the bolus and swallowing. The numerical description of chewing behaviour obtained was shown to be consistent for each subject over separate recording sessions and expressed differences between subjects.