Instrumental texture profile analysis (TPA) of date flesh was measured as a function of moisture content. The quality attributes measured were hardness (H), cohesiveness (CO), adhesiveness (A), springiness (S), resilience (R), and chewiness (CH). Hardness, chewiness, and resilience increased exponentially with the decrease of moisture content, whereas adhesiveness, cohesiveness and springiness increased exponentially with the decrease of moisture content and showed a maximum value at critical moisture content 21.5%. Below the critical moisture content, there was a sharp decrease in the attribute values. Two factors: elastic nature (hardness, adhesiveness, and chewiness) and plastic nature (cohesiveness, resilience and springiness) can explain the instrumental TPA attributes of dried dates. (C) 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.