Development of Meat-Based Formulations for 3D Printed Products Oriented to Dysphagia Diet

Textural modification and nutritional customization of food is considered an effective strategy to ensure safe swallowing and prevent malnutrition in people with dysphagia, while improving quality of life and physical health. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effect of added fat 15%-16% (in form of pork fat, liquid oil or bigel structured with collagen and mono- and diglycerides of fatty acids), fibers (3.0%) in the form of lingonberry pomace and protein collagen (2.0%-3.0%) as well as interactions between them on the stability, the rheological and textural properties, the color and printing performance of meat-based ink formulations and its application in the dysphagia diet. Results showed that all samples exhibited shear-thinning behavior (the viscosity of a material decreases as the shear rate increases) with n < 1. Pork fat, fiber incorporation and increase in protein concentration affected the increase in apparent viscosity, consistency coefficient, elasticity and loss modulus values. Structured oil addition helped to create a more stable gel-like network (confirmed by higher elastic modulus G' and hardness values) that provided stability to the matrix by trapping inside the oil phase, affecting higher post-printing stability (> 98%) as well as stability after thermal treatment (80%-93%). Thermally treated samples with structured oil addition were selected and labeled as Level 6 (soft and bite-sized), as defined by the International Dysphagia Diet Standardization Initiative (IDDSI) framework, suggesting that they suit people with mild dysphagia. The outcome of this study provides insights into how to tailor meat-based ink formulations to meet the needs of dysphagia patients.