Rheological and textural characterisation of high-pressure processed ready-to-drink dysphagia-friendly beverages

Thickened beverages are essential for managing dysphagia, but their palatability is often compromised. This study characterised the effects of high-pressure processing (HPP) at 200–600 MPa for 3 min on the rheological and textural properties of xanthan gum-thickened coconut water (XCW). To differentiate the effects of pressure on the beverage matrix and thickening agent, xanthan gum in water (XW) and model solution (XMS) were included, alongside a commercial thickener for comparison. All samples were formulated to meet Level 3 consistency, as defined by the International Dysphagia Diet Standardisation Initiative (IDDSI) framework. Rheological, textural, microstructural, and colour measurements were conducted. HPP at 500 and 600 MPa significantly modifies rheological and textural properties (p < 0.05). In XCW, apparent viscosity at 50 s-1 increased from 385.9 ± 11.5 mPa·s to 445.6 ± 3.6 mPa·s and consistency index from 12,542.3 ± 761.1 Pa·sn to 14,488.3 ± 114.0 Pa·sn. Similar trends were observed in XMS but not in XW, indicating that re-association is solute matrix-dependent. These improvements occurred without altering tan δ (p > 0.05), confirming the preservation of the viscoelastic structure. The observed improvements could likely be due to HPP inducing a reversible, partial disruption of hydrogen-bonded networks during pressurisation, followed by re-association upon depressurisation. Overall, these findings demonstrate the potential of HPP to enhance palatability while preserving swallowing safety in thickened beverages, providing a foundation for the future development of more palatable, ready-to-drink, dysphagia-friendly beverages.

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