Textural characteristics of safe dishes for dysphagic patients: a multivariate analysis approach

Twenty-four safe dishes for cerebral palsy dysphagic patients and four commercial dysphagia-oriented food products for dysphagia were studied in order to determine their textural characteristics. Apparent viscosity measured at 25, 50, and 100 s(-1) and extrusion force analyzed at 1, 2, 5, and 10 mm/s were evaluated. Using clustering techniques, samples were divided into three categories. Apparent viscosity at 50 s(-1) and extrusion force at 5 and 10 mm/s could be enough to characterize the safe dishes for dysphagic patients.