Abstract
Dysphagia that involves difficulty swallowing food and liquids is a symptom of different diseases. In some cases, patients who experience this symptom should be fed with modified consistency foods. Dysphagia is often accompanied by malnutrition and dehydration and an interesting approach to dealing with these conditions is to provide patients with nutrient-rich foods. In this study, two new food formulations for dysphagia patients are proposed: a cereal-based protein meal and a vegetable cream. The nutritional and rheological characteristics of the two innovative preparations were assessed and compared with those of commercial products. The proposed protein meal formulations meet the criteria for the “high protein” claim and the vegetable cream meets those of the “source of fiber” claim. The rheological investigation revealed that the flow properties of the innovative formulations were comparable to those of the commercial ones. Based on these preliminary outcomes, this investigation represents an interesting perspective potentially valuable to enlarge the offer of possibilities for people suffering from swallowing disorders.
Highlights
Dysphagia is a medical disorder related with the difficulty of chewing and swallowing that can affect children, adults and the elderly [1,2,3,4,5]
Different formulations were studied using instant commercial flours and vegetables to obtain new products such as a Protein Meal (PM) and a Vegetable Cream (VC) suitable for patients affected by dysphagia disorder
Two dysphagia-oriented formulations have been proposed, one rich in protein and the other based on vegetables
Summary
Dysphagia is a medical disorder related with the difficulty of chewing and swallowing that can affect children, adults and the elderly [1,2,3,4,5]. It may derive from oropharyngeal or esophageal disorders related to functional causes, such as dementia and Parkinson’s disease, or to post-stroke conditions [6,7,8]. A diet with modified food consistency can, on some occasions, help people with problems of chewing and swallowing and, the right properties of density and viscosity should be found to facilitate their ingestion. Recognizing which type of thickener provides the best or the worst performance depends on several factors, and mainly on the consumer’s different choosing criteria and personal preferences [12]
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
