ABSTRACTMarshmallows of a national and supermarket brand were subjected to four successive compression‐decompression cycles using a computer interfaced Universal testing machine and the total and recoverable work in each cycle determined. The two brands were significantly different. Differences were maintained irrespective of the deformation rate (10 and 20 mm.min–1), the magnitude of imposed strain in the range of 15–40% and the time between the cycles (0, 30 and 60 s). It appears that the discriminatory power of the test decreases as the magnitude of the imposed strain incr