LAUSR

BACKGROUND Dysphagia is defined as a disorder of the swallowing mechanism. The most common management of dysphagia is diet modification by thickening food and beverages. This study aimed to obtain protein-based beverages for the dysphagia diets of the elderly, corresponding to the honey (III) level of dysphagia fluids according to the National Dysphagia Diet classifications and containing 100 g kg-1 of good-quality proteins with a high rate of hydrolysis during digestion. RESULTS Four protein formulations made from pea proteins, milk proteins, mixture of milk and pea proteins, as well as milk proteins with added konjac glucomannan have been evaluated on the basis of rheological characterisation and proteolysis kinetics during in vitro digestion. The mixture of milk proteins and pea proteins and milk proteins with added konjac glucomannan showed typical yielding pseudoplastic fluid behaviour with similar apparent viscosity but different structural characteristics. This condition was the reason for the differences in proteolysis kinetics during digestion. The mixture of milk and pea proteins showed viscous liquid behaviour and was more rapidly hydrolysed under gastrointestinal conditions than those containing milk proteins and konjac glucomannan acting as a weak gel system. CONCLUSION We presume that geriatric consumers with swallowing difficulties may benefit from honey-viscosity protein-based beverages containing pea and milk proteins through faster proteolysis and better bioaccessibility of amino acids during digestion. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.