Use of HPP as an Alternative to Hydrocolloids to Develop Dysphagia Foods

The ingestion of texture-modified foods is the most used technique as a food intervention to promote safe swallowing in people with dysphagia [1]. Although, these foods are in general obtained by adding hydrocolloids, alternative technologies can be also employed. In this work, an enriched lentil protein vegetable puree was developed. To adapt the texture of the puree and making it suitable for people with dysphagia, the high-pressure processing (HPP) technology with 600 MPa/5 min treatment was used. The selection of the HPP treatment (600 MPa/ 5min) was based on initial pilot trials with different protein amounts and treatment conditions. The developed vegetable puree exhibited a good nutritional profile (12% protein and 3.4% fiber). In terms of rheological properties, the apparent viscosity at 50 s−1 shear rate increased with HPP treatment reaching a pudding-like texture (>1750 mPa.s). The threated puree displayed a gel-like consistency (tan delta 0.157) which is considered and indicator for a safe swallowing [2]. When comparing control and HPP samples, HPP-treated purees presented higher stiffness (Gʹ) and lower yield strainLVR and yield stressLVR. Additionally, textural parameters such as firmness, consistency, and cohesiveness presented higher values compared to control samples. HPP treatment had minimal effect on color with no visually relevant differences among samples. These findings affirm the viability of HPP as an alternative technology to hydrocolloids for creating dysphagia-friendly dishes.