Texture properties of Daily Meals and Mastication Ability for the Aged

Abstract

Purpose The relationship between daily meals and mastication ability of aged per-sons, in nursing home n= and at home n= , has been studied by measurement of physical property of daily meals and dietary habit through question and answer sur-vey. Method The methods employed were measurement of mastication ability by use of xylitol gum and the physical properties hardness and cohesiveness of more than hundred kinds of dishes by creep meter and also, the survey with question and an-swer to the aged in nursing and at home. They are healthy and self independent at average age of and , respectively. Results The mastication ability was stronger with persons living at home than those in nursing home who showed rather scattered values. Measurements of daily main and side serving showed that vegetable dishes were especially cooked softer in nursing home than at home. Regardless of same cooking, some food materials become harder than the others. Difference on hardness and co-hesiveness of dishes became evident between them. From question and answer survey, it is shown as a tendency that their familiar foods and dishes in years, namely Japanese foods like grilled fish Yakizakana and pickles Tsukemono , are preferred by both group of elders. In such cases they eat foods that look harder and more difficult to mastication for them. Conclusion It has been suggested that it is not necessary to serve soft meals with easy to bite in and swallow for elders, but also their satisfaction can be obtained with a suitable hardness depending on their eating habit of foods.