Present condition and development of food for elderly persons with chewing and swallowing difficulties

Chewing and swallowing problems can be life threatening for elderly persons. Bits of food and liquid will be aspirated or drawn into the lungs, because the muscles of mouth and throat may no longer be working properly. Other factors contributing to dysphasia could be level of consciousness, medications, distractions and eating patterns. Therefore, food products that are suitable for elderly persons who have difficulties in chewing and swallowing and maintain the natural shape and color of the material should be developed. We examined the effects of different concentrations of papain treatment on the texture (hardness, breaking, and swallowing) and palatability of minced chicken meat