Dysphagia management in Parkinson's disease: Comparison of the effect of thickening agents on taste, aroma, and texture

Dysphagia is a frequent symptom in Parkinson's disease (PD). Thickening liquids facilitates safe swallowing, however, low treatment compliance major issue, due to patients’ dislike of thickened liquids. Some studies suggest negative impact gum-based thickeners, currently most used clinical practice, on sensory properties compared starch-based thickeners. This has not yet been investigated PD. study's aim was compare taste, texture, and aroma soups participants with Gum-based resource thicken up clear (RTUC) kitchen products potato starch (PS) quinoa flour (QF) were evaluated broccoli soup. Texture, aroma, taste characterized by rheology, volatile, profiling. Thickened PD controls through paired comparison test. Reduced release 61.4%, 46.2%, 38.5% volatiles observed after thickening RTUC, PS, QF, respectively. Overall intensity reduced RTUC- PS-thickened soup, Taste soup considered more intense 70.3% 63.8% all participants, respectively (n = 36 PD, n 41 controls), 56.3% preferred the soup's texture . QF-thickened 68.1% 65.6% 47 31 58.0% texture. Starch-based thickeners demonstrated higher intensity. However, volatile profiling Combining flavor enhancers may increase palatability beverages.