The Development Of Textured Meat Products For Easy Chewing And Swallowing • MTEC A Member Of NSTDA

Research background

People who have consumption problems, such as the elderly, those who wear dental braces, and those with dental health problems tend to avoid meat products because of its tough and hard textures. However, meat is an important source of protein, thus meat products for these consumers are usually minced, which may decrease their satisfaction and appetite, and can lead them to malnutrition. MTEC research team, therefore, has applied the food structure design technology with texture modifiers to develop meat products with soft texture, juicy, easy-to-chew and easy-to-swallow, and can be cut into pieces.

Research objective

The research team plans to develop soft and easy-to-chew meat products for people with consumption problems by adjusting the meat to become softer and juicy, but still looks like the original meat and can be cooked into various dishes.

Research process

The research team applies the process to control the structure and texture by inducing the equilibrium in the gap and the three-dimensional structure of pork protein, along with the use of food gelatin modifiers to help with product water retention. Various factors for a suitable formula and texture have been studied to meet consumers’ needs, such as pork quantity, the type and amount of food gelatin and fillers that control the acidity, the amount of vegetable oil, the type and quantity of protein from other sources, the size of minced pork, the appropriate temperature for cooking pork, cooking losses, moisture content and appearance.

Research result

The research result shows that the process for tendering the pork can control the hardness by varying the amount of pork used. They found that once the meat is cooked, and then analyzed for its hardness according to the Universal Design Food (UDF) for the elderly food and people with swallowing problems, the result showed that swallowing the hardness level turns out to be UDF1 (can be easily chewed with the teeth) or UDF2 (crushed with the gums).

The maximum hardness of food products according to the Japanese UDF standards

The research team had prepared these meat products by cooking Thai dishes and tested its sensory quality with the elderly consumers (age over 60 years). They found that the meat texture is soft, juicy, easy-to-chew and easy-to-swallow, and its shape is also similar to the original meat, however, these meat products are easier to swallow than the original meat that cooked from the same recipe.