In Vivo Behavior of Transitional Foods as Compared to Purees: A Videofluoroscopic Analysis

The findings of this pilot study revealed that high-dissolving transitional solids did not increase apparent risk as compared to pureed textures, as there were no significant differences in swallowing safety and only some differences were observed in performance between the two textures. These findings may support the use of transitional solids as a "bridge" and safe consistency to facilitate progression to higher, more challenging textures in medically complex persons with dysphagia based on individual performance. This work represents an important initial step toward the integration of transitional solids into evaluation protocols, texture recommendations, and, potentially, into treatment.