Portal de Periódicos da CAPES

Taste acceptability of thickening agents

2018; KeAi; Volume: 4; Issue: 2 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1016/j.wjorl.2018.05.001

2589-1081

Christina M. Yver, William P. Kennedy, Natasha Mirza,

Esophageal and GI Pathology

Objective Patients with dysphagia are often unable to manage secretions and liquids, necessitating the use of commercial thickeners to decrease the likelihood of aspiration. This study aims to evaluate the effect of commercially available thickeners on hedonic perception of various liquids. Methods Forty subjects without preexisting dysphagia or anosmia were recruited from a tertiary care otorhinolaryngology clinic over a five‐month period. Participants were presented with samples of three unthickened liquids (ice water, chilled ginger ale, and hot coffee) and their thickened counterparts and asked to rate the taste acceptability of the liquids on an 11‐point visual analog scale. The study was reviewed by the hospital's Institutional Review Board and determined to be IRB exempt. Results A statistically significant preference for unthickened liquids over their thickened counterpart was observed across flavors ( P < 0.0001). Of the thickened liquid samples, study participants expressed the strongest preference for thickened ginger ale. Conclusion Thickened liquids are perceived as significantly less palatable than their unthickened counterparts, although ginger ale may be better tolerated when thickened than coffee or water. Providers should be aware of the impact of thickeners on taste acceptability when counseling patients with dysphagia.