Texture and flavor characteristics of beverages containing commercial thickening agents for dysphagia diets

Starch-based thickeners often are recommended to facilitate fluid intake for dysphagia patients. Four beverages (water, milk, orange juice, apple juice) were prepared to a "honey-like" consistency using 4 commercially available starch-based thickeners. Sensory characteristics of the beverages were described using descriptive sensory analysis. The brands of thickeners differed in the perceived viscosity of the products they produced. With thickeners, the main flavors of the base beverages were suppressed, all imparted a starchy flavor, and some products imparted slight off-flavors, such as metallic, astringent, or bitter, and a grainy texture that might be perceived as reducing quality. This sensory information could be related to physicochemical information to improve product quality.