Learn English – the numb sensation in the mouth caused by some fruits called

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There are some fruits* that cause a peculiar (unpleasant) numb sensation in the mouth. An unripe persimmon or a quince are two examples that come to mind. I can't describe the feeling any more eloquently so my bet/hope is that you will know what feeling I am talking about.

Is there a word in English that describes the mentioned quality of these fruits and/or the sensation in the mouth?

*I don't know that only fruit can cause it, but I can't think of anything else at the moment.

Best Answer

Astringency or Puckering

From Wikipedia

Some foods, such as unripe fruits, contain tannins or calcium oxalate that cause an astringent or puckering sensation of the mucous membrane of the mouth. Examples include tea, red wine, rhubarb, and unripe persimmons and bananas.

Less exact terms for the astringent sensation are "dry", "rough", "harsh" (especially for wine), "tart" (normally referring to sourness), "rubbery", "hard" or "styptic"

From Education.com (emphasis mine):

Unripe persimmons are inedible because of the tannins that are diffused throughout the fruit. This tannins cause proteins in the saliva and tongue to coagulate. This coagulation of proteins produces the puckery, furry taste in the mouth that we refer to as astringency. This also happens with unripe bananas, some red wine and tea.

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