Gunalan Dhamodharan, James Makame, Alissa A. Nolden
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引用次数: 0
Abstract
The addition of thickeners to beverages remains the primary strategy for managing dysphagia. However, thickened beverages have poor compliance among patients, primarily due to a dislike of the taste and flavor. While thickeners produce a higher viscosity, which helps reduce the risk of aspiration, there is evidence that they also reduce taste sensations. Previous research suggests that rheological properties might explain the impact on taste perception; however, recent findings do not demonstrate this interaction. Therefore, this study aims to explore the impact of Nestle ThickenUp Clear on the taste intensity of sucrose (sweet), citric acid (sour), and NaCl (salty) when mixed at three concentrations compared to an unthickened control. The samples were analyzed for rheological properties (including viscosity and tan delta). A total of 56 untrained healthy participants completed the Temporal Check All That Apply (TCATA) and rated taste intensity and liking. This study presented significant findings on physical textural properties and sensory aspects; most importantly, Linear Mixed Models (LMM) revealed that saltiness (β = −4.16), sourness (β = −3.29), and sweetness (β = −3.43) all decreased significantly with the addition of thickener (p < 0.001), with the magnitude and slope varying considerably for each tastant. However, viscosity did not result in a decrease in taste intensity (as indicated by a lower marginal R2 than conditional R2). These findings emphasize that unique interactions between tastants and thickeners drive taste perception, rather than being solely determined by physical rheological measures (such as viscosity and viscoelasticity). Future studies can extend these findings to other thickeners and more complex beverages, which will aid in identifying effective strategies to improve the taste and flavor profiles of thickened beverages.
期刊介绍:
The Journal of Texture Studies is a fully peer-reviewed international journal specialized in the physics, physiology, and psychology of food oral processing, with an emphasis on the food texture and structure, sensory perception and mouth-feel, food oral behaviour, food liking and preference. The journal was first published in 1969 and has been the primary source for disseminating advances in knowledge on all of the sciences that relate to food texture. In recent years, Journal of Texture Studies has expanded its coverage to a much broader range of texture research and continues to publish high quality original and innovative experimental-based (including numerical analysis and simulation) research concerned with all aspects of eating and food preference.
Journal of Texture Studies welcomes research articles, research notes, reviews, discussion papers, and communications from contributors of all relevant disciplines. Some key coverage areas/topics include (but not limited to):
• Physical, mechanical, and micro-structural principles of food texture
• Oral physiology
• Psychology and brain responses of eating and food sensory
• Food texture design and modification for specific consumers
• In vitro and in vivo studies of eating and swallowing
• Novel technologies and methodologies for the assessment of sensory properties
• Simulation and numerical analysis of eating and swallowing