Cooking Methods for a Soft Diet Using Chicken Based on Food Texture Analysis

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Food Science
• Nutrition

Background:

• Undernutrition is a growing concern among the elderly due to mastication difficulties.
• Current soft diets in nursing homes vary, and improper modification can reduce nutritional value.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a method for producing texture-modified chicken suitable for elderly individuals with chewing impairments.
• To evaluate the effectiveness of this modified chicken in improving food intake and preventing undernutrition.

Main Methods:

• Developed a soft chicken diet by boiling minced chicken with softening food additives.
• Identified yakifu (wheat gluten) as the optimal additive through texture and cooking tests.
• Determined optimal ingredient proportions (50% chicken, 10% yakifu, 40% water) using a creep meter for texture analysis.
• Assessed food intake of texture-modified teriyaki chicken among 22 elderly residents.

Main Results:

• Yakifu was identified as the most suitable food additive for softening chicken.
• The optimal texture-modified chicken had a hardness below 40,000 N/m².
• Elderly residents consumed significantly more texture-modified chicken compared to conventional chicken, especially those with lower intake previously.

Conclusions:

• Properly modified food textures, like the developed soft chicken, can significantly improve meal quality.
• This approach offers a viable strategy to prevent undernutrition in elderly individuals with mastication difficulties.
• The study highlights the importance of food texture in geriatric nutrition and care.