Rheological Properties of Dysphagia Food Purees Prepared according to IDDSI Framework

The increasing prevalence of dysphagia in aging populations poses a significant risk of malnutrition due to compromised ingestion abilities. This is particularly a problem in non-tube-fed patients. This study addresses the urgent need for safe, palatable, and nutritionally adequate food options by developing a range of food purees made of vegetables, meats, and rice flour. The food purees were produced using high-speed blending techniques and their rheological and textural properties were evaluated to ensure swallowing safety. The results demonstrated that these food purees can comply with the textural requirements of the International Dysphagia Diet Standardisation Initiative Level 4 and showed gel-like behaviors. The viscosity values of vegetable-meat purees and vegetable-meat-rice purees at shear rates of 50 s−1 were from 0.62 to 1.77 Pa·s, 2.48 to 3.63 Pa·s, respectively. Their hardness values ranged from 39.32 to 88.21 g. All the viscosity values fall within the reported safe range. These food purees may be easy to swallow. This research offers a practical and economical solution for enhancing the dietary intake and overall quality of life for people with dysphagia in clinical and home settings and contributes valuable quantitative data to the field.