POS2-1525
Development of Mealworm-Enriched Rice Starch Soft Foods for Dysphagia Care
Topic
S2. High-End Characterization/Polymer Physics/Properties
When and Where
Sep 29, 2026
08:30 - 09:30
Room 301 (Grand Ballroom)
Session Chairs
Hae Jung SON
Boseok KANG
Presenter(s)
YERYEONG LEE (Konkuk University)
Co-Author(s)
Abstract
Age-related dysphagia and inadequate protein intake are major health concerns among older adults, often leading to malnutrition, sarcopenia, and a decline in overall health. Therefore, the development of nutritionally balanced texture-modified foods has become increasingly important. In this work, rice starch-based soft foods were formulated with mealworm powder, a sustainable and protein-rich ingredient, to enhance nutritional value while maintaining swallowing properties for dysphagia care. Rice starch was used as the primary matrix to provide the soft texture required for safe swallowing. Mealworm powder was incorporated at different concentrations to investigate its influence on the structural and rheological characteristics of the formulations. The effects of mealworm incorporation on the flow and viscoelastic behavior of the food formulations were investigated using rheological analyses across a range of shear rates relevant to oral processing and chewing. The results demonstrated that increasing mealworm content enhanced the nutritional value of the formulations while reducing viscosity and altering their viscoelastic behavior, reflecting modifications to the internal rice starch network, likely through starch–protein interactions. These changes influenced the texture of the formulations and may affect their suitability for swallowing. The findings provide useful insights into the relationship between mealworm incorporation and the swallowing-related rheological properties of rice starch-based soft foods. This study demonstrates the feasibility of developing mealworm-enriched rice starch soft foods for dysphagia care and highlights their potential as nutritionally enhanced texture-modified foods for older adults.
