Flow, viscoelastic and masticatory properties of tailor made thickened pea cream for people with swallowing problems

Abstract

This study evaluated the flow, viscoelastic and masticatory properties of tailor made pea cream using different hydrocolloids, and the potential effect that saliva could have while chewing. The creams thickened with pectin, carboxymethyl cellulose, tara gum and konjac gum showed the weakest internal gel structure with highest values of loss tangent at 1Hz (0.49 ± 0.07), slope of log elastic modulus versus log frequency (0.34 ± 0.05) and maximum capacitance (0.07 ± 0.02 Pa-1). The samples thickened with commercial hydrocolloids were affected the most by the presence of saliva, with a significant reduction in apparent viscosity at 10 s−1, that ranged from 1500 mPas until 11000 mPas. These results demonstrate that it is possible to optimize the structure of thickened pea cream for dysphagia by using, for example, carboxymethyl cellulose, tara gum and konjac gum, because they provide a greater viscous component, and, therefore, a bolus that is more easy to swallow.