Food Preferences and Acceptability of Molded Pureed Foods in Community-Dwelling Older Adults in Singapore
Year: 2026
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Texture-modified diets (TMDs) are prescribed for older adults with chewing or swallowing difficulty, but conventional pureeing dilutes nutrient density and yields visually indistinguishable meals that discourage intake. This study aimed to compare food preferences and sensory priorities by self-reported chewing/swallowing difficulty status and to conduct a preliminary evaluation of the sensory acceptability of molded pureed meal prototypes. METHODS: An interviewer-administered survey of 100 community-dwelling older adults in Singapore characterized chewing and swallowing symptoms, TMD status, sensory-attribute importance, meal satisfaction, and food and snack preferences. In a separate exploratory pilot, 16 older adults without self-reported swallowing difficulty evaluated four enzymatically modified, molded pureed prototypes on a 7-point hedonic scale. RESULTS: ≥ 0.05). Among those with difficulty, only 19 (33.9%) had been recommended a TMD and 15 (26.8%) were currently consuming one, while 37 (66.1%) had neither. All four molded pureed prototypes had mean hedonic scores for individual attributes ranging from 4.7 to 6.6 on the seven-point scale. Overall acceptability was high (8.1 ± 1.4 of 10) and most participants were willing to prepare (93.8%), purchase (81.3%), or incorporate (68.8%) the meals. CONCLUSIONS: Chewing and swallowing difficulty was common and was not associated with differences in food preferences. Texture-modified meals may be developed from familiardishes, informed by earlier community screening.
Source: Nutrients
DOI: 10.3390/nu18203413
Language: English
Subfield: Speech and Hearing
Field: Health Professions
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $3,499
OpenAlex ID: W7222980379