Abstract:This study aimed to reveal the mode of action and regulatory mechanism of rheology indices such as flow properties, viscoelasticity and shearing time-dependent viscosity, through analyzing the rheological properties, pH value and osmotic pressure of the designed complete nutrition medical food. The results showed that the unthickened specific complete nutrition medical food was a Newtonian fluid with a very low viscosity (only 0.01 Pa·s); Xanthan gum possesses a good thickening effect. Its addition at 0.50% could make the specific complete nutrition medical food possess an initial viscosity of 0.4 Pa·s, which meets the requirements for a desirable viscoelasticity with easy-to-adjust and shear-thinning characteristics. Its addition at 1%~2.50% made the rheological pH value and osmotic pressure of the medical food safe for consumption by dysphagia patients. Therefore, xanthan gum can be applied to adjust the rheological properties of the specific complete nutrition medical food for dysphagia. This paper provides the experimental basis and theoretical guidance for the regulation and mechanism of the rheological properties of the specific complete nutrition medical food.
