Steady and dynamic rheological properties of thickened beverages used for dysphagia diets

Thickened beverages prepared with commercial food thickeners are widely used to promote safer and more successful swallowing in patients with dysphagia. In this study, the rheological properties of cold thickened beverages (bottled water, orange juice, apple juice, and whole milk) prepared with a commercially available gum-based food thickener (xanthan-guar gum mixture) marketed in Korea were investigated at 3 different thickener concentrations (2, 3, and 4%, w/w). Thickened beverages showed high shearthinning (n=0. 12-0. 21) behavior with Casson yield stress at all concentrations. Their apparent viscosity (η_a,50), consistency index (K), Casson yield stress (σ_oc), storage modulus (G′), and loss modulus (G″) increased with an increase in thickener concentration. Steady and dynamic rheological parameters also demonstrated greater differences in rheological behaviors between thickened beverages with different thickener concentrations. These results suggest that rheological properties of thickened beverages are strongly affected by thickener concentration and the type of beverage prepared.