Development of a non-temperature-dependent instant gelling agent and its textural characteristics

Abstract

We present a newly developed gelling agent that can gelatinize foods over a wide temperature range. The textual characteristics of typical Japanese foods (rice gruel, miso soup and green tea) were investigated based on mechanical evaluations of physical properties (hardness, cohesiveness and adhesiveness) and sensory evaluation (palatability, stickness, viscosity, residual sensation and ease of swallowing). The major findings were as follows：

1. Rice gruel was gelatinized at different temperatures (30‐55℃). There were no differences in hardness, cohesiveness and adhesiveness among the different temperatures, and the physical properties of rice gruel were suitable for all samples. Sensory evaluations showed that all parameters were favorable at the temperatures tested.

2. Liquid foods (miso soup and green tea) were gelatinized at relatively high temperatures (75℃), The changes in texture were then examined as temperature was decreased. Although hardness fluctuated slightly at temperatures of 20‐50℃, it was markedly below the standard set by the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare. Cohesiveness and adhesiveness were stable and were not affected by temperature. Sensory evaluations showed that all parameters were favorable at the temperatures tested.

3. Liquid foods were gelatinized at relatively low temperatures (10℃), and the changes in texture were determined as temperature was increased. Although hardness fluctuated slightly at temperatures of 10‐30℃, it was markedly below the standard set by the Ministry of Health Labor and Welfare. The degree of fluctuation in cohesiveness and adhesiveness due to increases in temperature were relatively small, and the properties of all gelatinized foods were suitable. Sensory evaluations showed that all parameters were favorable at the temperatures tested.

These findings suggest that the present gelling agent can maintain suitable textural quality when rice gruel is gelatinized at different temperatures or when liquid foods are gelamized at a specific temperature and then stored at another temperature. This study demonstrated the convenience and usefulness of the present gelling agent in allowing dysphagic patients to maintain sufficient calorie and water intake on a daily basis.