Nutritional products to promote safe swallowing for individuals with dysphagia

Abstract

Nutritional products, uses thereof, methods for the manufacture and methods for improving the cohesiveness of the nutritional products are disclosed. The nutritional products have improved cohesiveness for promoting safer swallowing of food boluses for individuals having swallowing difficulties such as dysphagia.

1 . A nutritional product comprising:
 an aqueous solution comprising beta-glucan in a concentration of from 0.01 wt % to 10 wt % capable of providing to the nutritional product:   a shear viscosity of less than 200 mPas when measured at a shear rate of 50s −1 , and   a relaxation time, determined by a Capillary Breakup Extensional Rheometry (CaBER) experiment, of more than 10 ms (milliseconds) at a temperature of 20° C.   
     
     
         2 . The nutritional product of  claim 1 , comprising a shear viscosity of between 100 to 200 mPas when measured at a shear rate of 50s −1 . 
     
     
         3 . The nutritional product of  claim 1 , comprising a shear viscosity selected from the group consisting of from 125 to 200 mPas when measured at a shear rate of 50s −1 , a shear viscosity from 150 to 200 mPas when measured at a shear rate of 50s −1 , and a shear viscosity from 110 to 160 mPas when measured at a shear rate of 50s −1 . 
     
     
         4 . The nutritional product according to  claim 1 , wherein the relaxation time is less than 2000 ms at a temperature of 20° C. 
     
     
         5 . The nutritional product according to  claim 1 , wherein a filament diameter of the nutritional product decreases less than linearly in time during the CaBER experiment. 
     
     
         6 . The nutritional product according to  claim 1 , wherein the beta-glucan is present in a concentration of from at least 0.01 wt % to 10 wt %. 
     
     
         7 . The nutritional product according to  claim 1  in diluted form. 
     
     
         8 . The nutritional product according to  claim 1  comprising at least one component selected from the group consisting of a protein, a source of fat, at least one fiber, a source of carbohydrate, a prebiotic, a probiotic, an amino acid, a fatty acid, a phytonutrient, an antioxidant, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         9 . The nutritional product according to  claim 1 , wherein the nutritional product is in an administrable form selected from the group consisting of pharmaceutical formulations, nutritional formulations, dietary supplements, functional food and beverage products, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         10 - 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . The nutritional product according to  claim 1 , wherein the aqueous solution consists of the beta-glucan and at least one additional ingredient selected from the group consisting of an acidulant, a thickener, a buffer or an agent for pH adjustment, a chelating agent, a colorant, an emulsifier, an excipient, a flavor agent, a mineral, an osmotic agent, a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier, a preservative, a stabilizer, a sugar, a sweetener, a texturizer, and a vitamin.