温泉卵の高齢者食としての活用

―えん下困難者用食品許可基準に則した温泉卵の加熱条件の検討―

抄録

　Soft-boiled eggs (Onsen eggs) can be preserved after preparation, and they can be cracked and served immediately. The purpose of this study was to clarify the cooking conditions to prepare Onsen eggs for older adults who were unable to eat hard-boiled eggs. The physical property index and universal design food for people with dysphagia (UDF) and Japanese Dysphagia Diet 2021 by the JSDR (the Japanese Society of Dyshagia Rehabilitation) dysphagia diet committee (JDD2021) were obtained, and sensory evaluation was performed.

　Whole eggs were heated in a thermostatic water bath at temperatures of 65°C, 66.5°C, and 68°C for 30 minutes. A texture analyzer was used to measure the hardness, cohesiveness, and adherence of the heated eggs, which are the permitted criteria of foods for people with difficulty in swallowing, and the values were compared with those of hard-boiled eggs. The water release rate was measured, and assuming the products were stored after cooking, the texture and microbiological tests were performed after storage.

　After examining the heating conditions, the texture of the Onsen eggs was categorized as stage III of the Standard, after only heating at 65°C. Slight changes were noted in the hardness, adhesiveness, and cohesiveness of the Onsen eggs after storage. However, the products' texture was categorized under stage III of the Standard and considered safe according to microbiological tests. The Onsen eggs heated at 65°C for 30 minutes were categorized as stage III according to the Standards for foods for people with difficulty in swallowing, it falls under Category 3, and in Japanese Dysphagia Diet 2021 by the JSDR dysphagia diet committee (JDD2021), it corresponds to Adjusted Swallowing Meal 3. Therefore, the study results suggested that Onsen eggs can be considered a suitable alternative for older adults with reduced swallowing function.