Using a natural salivary substitute to improve the swallowability of semi-solid foods: an in vitro and in vivo coupling study

Résumé fourni par la source

Flaxseed extracts have extensional and shear rheological properties close to those of saliva, making them promising candidates as natural salivary substitutes (NSS) to manage xerostomia. The performance of such NSSs was evaluated by comparing their in vitro and in vivo behaviors during swallowing of two semi-solid foods with different composition, structure and rheology. The oral phase of swallowing was simulated in vitro with an innovative soft robotic model while sensory evaluations were performed with a healthy cohort (n=16) to assess the potential of the NSSs for reducing the amounts of oral residues. Flaxseed extract with 0.40 % dry matter showed promising performance, with low amounts of oral residues reported both in vitro and in vivo, and with a bolus that was not prone to undesired fragmentation. The novel methodology presented in this study could be used in the future to prescreen other salivary substitutes or food textures adapted for xerostomia.Industrial relevance: This work opens up perspectives for meeting the expectations and needs of growing populations affected by swallowing disorders, and in particular by xerostomia. The development of natural saliva substitutes should make it possible to recover a state of oral lubrication which ensures oral comfort, safe swallowing, and which limits the problems of malnutrition resulting from dysphagia.

Ce résumé expose les affirmations des auteurs. BNTIC ne l’interprète pas comme une validation indépendante des résultats.