A Study on Thickening in Ready-made Beverages and Liquid Diet

<p>　Background and Purpose:　The thickening of ready-made beverages and liquid foods is an important consideration. For individuals with dysphagia, appropriate thickening of fluids is often necessary to ensure safer swallowing. Ensuring that fluid intake is not compromised due to sensory and psychological factors is equally important. In this study, we investigated the viscosity and sensory evaluation of commercially available ready-to-drink beverages. The hypothesis was that consuming these beverages without additional thickening agents would reduce the psychological burden associated with thickened fluids for patients with dysphagia. By evaluating the sensory properties of these beverages, we sought to identify options that could alleviate the challenges faced by patients with dysphagia.</p><p>　Methods:　The viscosities of 35 ready-to-drink products were measured using a simple Viscometer TOROMADORA^® instrument. A line spread test (LST) was also conducted for each of the products, and their temperatures were recorded during the evaluation.</p><p>　Results:　We categorized the dairy products into three based on their thicknesses. For the soup products, we compared the viscosities of the canned types with those of cup-type corn soup; their thicknesses were light to intermediate.</p><p>　Spearman’s rank correlation coefficients revealed a negative correlation between viscosity and the LST values (p＜0.01, R ＝－0.60). This suggested that the spreadability of the fluid decreased with an increase in viscosity, indicating a thicker consistency. Sensory evaluation was conducted for four products and mildly thickened water. The mildly thickened water was the thickest among the five products, while the yogurt drink was the thinnest. Statistical analysis revealed significant differences between the yogurt drinks and thin thickened water (p＜0.05), as well as the yogurt drinks and tomato juice (p＜0.05).</p><p>　Conclusion:　Some of the ready-made products had viscosities that were approximately equal to those of mildly thickened fluids, indicating that they could be consumed without additional thickening agents.</p><p>　By providing patients with dysphagia with information about the viscosities of commercially available beverages, guiding them on appropriate usage, and encouraging their consumption of familiar beverages, we can reduce the psychological burden associated with thickened fluids. This can lead to safer meals consistent with patient preferences and better quality of life.</p>