UWE Bristol research on “Advancing dysphagia-oriented multi-ingredient meal development” has been accepted to top research journal, Food Hydrocolloids. The research looks at optimising hydrocolloid incorporation in 3D printed nutritious meals that are safe and suitable for people with dysphagia (DP).
DP is a growing health concern in today’s ageing population, leading to high demand for DP-oriented food. 3D printing is a promising novel technology for developing new attractive and appetising products. Population-based surveys estimate that DP prevalence reaches about 20% of the population at the age of 50 or older and exceeds 60% of people living in aged care facilities
This is the first study that developed multi-ingredient meal oriented for older adults with Dysphagia that is safe to swallow using 3D printing technology. The team used food materials rich in macro and micronutrients, as well as different novel combinations of food grade thickeners with well-established gastro-intestinal benefits.
This study offers significant novel insights into the development of nutritious, visually appealing, DP-oriented multi-ingredient food using 3D printing technology.
The project is an international collaboration between the UK, Greece and Serbia. The authors are:
- Sotiriοs Ι. Εkonomou – UWE Bristol
- Miroslav Hadnađev – University of Novi Sad, Serbia
- Aristea Gioxari – University of the Peloponnese, Greece
- Olawoyin Rantimi Abosede – UWE Bristol
- Shwe Soe – UWE Bristol
- Alexandros Ch. Stratakos – UWE Bristol
Project Lead, Alexandros Ch Stratakos, Associate Professor in Sustainable Agri-Food Production commented on the project:
“This study highlights the importance of bringing together multidisciplinary expertise, in this case on Food Science, Additive Manufacturing and Dietetics/Nutrition to develop novel solutions for real-world problems.”