Beta-Glucan Thickener Composition for Cohesive Dysphagia Nutrition
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Solution Overview
Problem
Individuals with dysphagia face challenges in swallowing due to increased viscosity of nutritional products, leading to aspiration, coughing, and choking, with existing thickeners causing undesirable organoleptic properties and lack of cohesiveness, resulting in health complications and high costs.
Innovation Solution
A thickener formulation comprising beta-glucan and additives like gum arabic or carrageenan, providing a relaxation time of over 10 ms, enhancing cohesiveness without significantly increasing viscosity, and promoting safer swallowing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional thickeners (starch or gum) are added to increase shear viscosity, then swallowing safety is improved, but organoleptic properties deteriorate and cohesiveness is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the rheological parameters of the nutritional product by introducing a specific thickening agent composition that modifies both shear viscosity and extensional viscosity in a controlled manner, achieving the desired relaxation time without excessive thickening that would harm organoleptic properties
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses a composite thickening system combining multiple gums (xanthan gum, guar gum, locust bean gum) with specific ratios to achieve synergistic effects that provide both safety and sensory quality, leveraging the complementary properties of each gum type
2Reliability
If shear viscosity is increased to prevent aspiration, then swallowing safety is improved, but bolus cohesiveness deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent specifically targets extensional viscosity and relaxation time parameters rather than just shear viscosity, using a thickening agent system that provides appropriate bolus cohesiveness through controlled extensional properties while maintaining safety
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical thickening approach (starch-based) with a molecular-level thickening mechanism using gum polysaccharides that interact with saliva to provide cohesiveness through molecular entanglement and hydrogen bonding
3Reliability
If thickener concentration is increased to ensure safety, then swallowing safety is improved, but product cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a composite gum system where multiple gums work synergistically at lower concentrations to achieve the same or better safety performance, reducing the total amount of thickening agents needed and thereby lowering costs
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs cost-effective gum-based thickeners that are more economical than starch-based alternatives, providing a cheaper solution that maintains safety without requiring high concentrations
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The formulation improves swallowing safety and efficiency by preventing residue buildup and reducing aspiration risk, while being more palatable and cost-effective than existing products, allowing individuals to consume a wider variety of foods and beverages.
Implementation Method 1
providing a relaxation time, determined by a Capillary Breakup Extensional Rheometry (CaBER) experiment, of more than 10 ms (milliseconds)
Data Source
AI summary
A thickener is disclosed, as well as a nutritional product including the thickener, uses thereof, methods for the manufacture thereof, methods for improving the cohesiveness of a nutritional product, and related systems. The nutritional products have improved cohesiveness for promoting safer and more efficient swallowing of food boluses for individuals having swallowing difficulties such as dysphagia. In a preferred embodiment, the nutritional product includes a thickener comprising a beta-glucan and an additive. Preferably, the nutritional product has a relaxation time, determined by a Capillary Breakup Extensional Rheometry (CaBER) experiment, of from 10 ms to 2000 ms at a temperature of 20° C.