Nutritional Composition of Plant-Based Texture: Modified Foods for Dysphagia Patients

Abstract

There are approximately 590 million people in the world with swallowing disorders (dysphagia), who need texture-modified foods to ensure nutritional intake on a daily basis. The aim of this research was to create new texture-modified products and to evaluate their bioactive and mineral compound concentration. Nine new products (five desserts and four puree-soups) were developed from plant-based ingredients with addition of a source of protein, canola oil, ascorbic acid, and other ingredients. Obtained samples were vacuum-cooked, sterilised at 115 °C for 5 min and tested for their bioactive compound concentration (total carotene and phenol concentration, and ABTS and DPPH radical scavenging activity), and concentration of seven vitamins and thirteen minerals important in human nutrition. The obtained data showed that bioactive compound concentration varied from sample to sample, which was expected due to the varied ingredients of each product. Mineral compound concentration analysis showed low levels of iodine, molybdenum, and selenium. The vitamin analysis showed traces of vitamin D3 and low levels of B group vitamins. Overall, the analysed product composition indicated that the natural background of these products is insufficient for ensuring the human body with all of the necessary vitamins and minerals, and the best solution could be the supplementation of these products with complexes of vitamins and minerals.