[Evaluation of soft diets using freeze infusion in videofluorography]

A food developed at the Hiroshima Prefectural Food Technology Research Center, Hiroshima, Japan, has proved to be a boon in videofluorography. The food features decreased hardness with retained their shape due to being impregnated with macerating enzymes under reduced pressure after vegetables are defrosted. Samples were removed immediately from the enzyme solution after freeze infusion. All foods tested raging from carrots to chicken contasted well in videofluorography in an evaluation of swallowing in 107 subjects with dysphagia, results for carrots compared well with those for 33% iopamidol, jelly, and yogurt. Only a subjects showed silent aspiration with carrots, compared to 19 with 33% iopamidol. Among 70 subjects showing no residual jelly and/or yogurt, just 12-8 severe and 4 moderate-showed residual carrots in the pharyngeal space. In contrast, among 67 subjects showing no residual carrots in the pharyngeal spase, 9 moderate subjects showing no residual jelly and/or yogurt. We concluded foods such as carrots treated as stated following jelly and/or yogurt as new nutrition sources for subjects with dysphagia.