2010 Volume 14 Issue 2 Pages 95-105
Freeze-thaw infusion (FI) is a technique for softening food materials while retaining the shapes. In this study, high-fiber food materials treated with FI were assessed by 65 residents of a special nursing home and a healthcare facility for the elderly. The residents were categorized into four groups based on their usual meal; normal, cut, minced, and blended. These groupings were based on their chewing and swallowing ability. Four kinds of materials treated with FI, bamboo shoots, burdock, lotus roots and carrots, were evaluated for their visual appeal, firmness and ease of swallowing. They were rated on a five-point scale. The materials were valued higher in all three assessment items by the elderly with more disordered chewing and swallowing. Firmness and ease of swallowing were significantly valued highly. The materials were particularly preferred by the people eating minced and blended meals. These results suggest that food materials treated with FI are suitable for the elderly and people with disordered chewing and swallowing. They may be also served as an alternative to minced and blended meals.
