A Sensory Method to Evaluate Food Texture for Oropharyngeal Dysphagia by Emulating Oral Tasks

Dysphagia involves impairments in chewing and swallowing, requiring foods with controlled textural properties to ensure safe and efficient oral processing. Despite standardized frameworks like the International Dysphagia Diet Standardisation Initiative (IDDSI), reproducible sensory evaluation tools are limited. This study proposes a methodological framework for the sensory evaluation of texture-modified foods (TMFs) designed to mimic the oral processing patterns of individuals with oropharyngeal dysphagia (OD). A multidisciplinary expert panel developed a structured sensory protocol incorporating emulated oral tasks representative of typical oral behaviors in OD patients. Thirty-two commercial TMFs were analyzed, identifying key sensory attributes-hardness, fracturability, adhesiveness, flowability, residue and intraoral variability-linked to swallowing safety and acceptability. Oral tasks included holding the food in the mouth, moving it with the tongue, pressing it against and removing it from the palate, assessing consistency changes, and swallowing. Each attribute was mapped to specific oral tasks. Results revealed substantial variability in the sensorial attributes of foods intended for OD people. This approach bridges clinical dysphagia care with sensory science, enabling better evaluation and development of safer, more acceptable foods for individuals with OD. Further validation is warranted to confirm its diagnostic and practical applicability.