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Viscosity differences between thickened beverages suitable for elderly patients with dysphagia.

Noé Garin1, Jan Thomas De Pourcq, Raquel Martín-Venegas

  • 1Pharmacy Department, Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, Sant Antoni Maria Claret, 167, 08025, Barcelona, Spain, ngarinescriva@gmail.com.

Dysphagia
|May 21, 2014
PubMed
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Thickening liquids for dysphagia (difficulty swallowing) can alter beverage viscosity differently than expected. This study found significant viscosity changes in thickened beverages compared to water and National Dysphagia Diet standards.

Area of Science:

  • Food Science and Technology
  • Gerontology
  • Clinical Nutrition

Background:

  • Dysphagia in the elderly increases risks of malnutrition and aspiration pneumonia.
  • Commercial thickeners are commonly used to manage dysphagia by altering liquid viscosity.
  • Limited data exists on how thickeners affect beverages other than water.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To measure the viscosity of 11 different beverages thickened with commercial agents.
  • To compare the viscosity of thickened beverages to thickened water.
  • To evaluate thickened beverage viscosity against National Dysphagia Diet (NDD) reference limits.

Main Methods:

  • Starch-based and gum-based thickeners were added to 11 beverages (juices, teas, milk, coffee) to achieve honey-like consistency.

Related Experiment Videos

  • Viscosity measurements were conducted under controlled environmental conditions for 22 resulting samples.
  • Results were compared to thickened water and NDD established viscosity guidelines.

    • Main Results:

    • Most thickened beverages showed significant viscosity changes compared to thickened water, with exceptions like apple juice.
    • Orange juice, pineapple juice, and chamomile tea exhibited viscosity alterations with gum-based thickeners.
    • Only peach-grape and pineapple juices thickened with starch-based agents significantly deviated from NDD limits.

    Conclusions:

    • The viscosity of thickened beverages can differ significantly from thickened water and NDD recommendations.
    • Current thickening practices may not consistently achieve desired consistencies across various beverages.
    • Further research on rheological behavior is needed, potentially leading to revised feeding safety recommendations for dysphagia patients.