Development of Rice Cracker for Aged People

• Published in: Journal of Japanese Society for Mastication Science and Health Promotion Vol. 16; no. 2; pp. 70 - 82
• Main Authors: TAKAHASHI Hajime, ITOU Akira, EGAWA Hiroko, WATANABE Toshiyuki, INOUE Makoto, ARAI Eiko, YAMADA Yoshiaki
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English; Japanese
• Published: 特定非営利活動法人 日本咀嚼学会 2006; Japanese Society for Mastication Science and Health Promotion
• ISSN: 0917-8090; 1884-4448
• DOI: 10.14858/soshaku1991.16.70

Easiness of ingestion and palatability of rice crackers for aged people were studied using compression test, electromyographic (EMG) recordings of masticatory muscles and sensory evaluation. Five types of rice crackers with different hardness were evaluated, which were Kaihatsu-type newly developed for aged people, Souka-type, Okaki-type, Niigata-type and Baby-type.The results obtained are as follows.1. Hardness of rice crackers was a most important factor decides whether aged subjects can ingest them.2. Hardness (Young's modulus) of rice crackers was as follows, Souka-tupe> Okaki-type> Niigata-type> Kaihatsu-type = Baby-type. These results corresponded to the results of sensory evaluation in hardness during mastication of rice crackers by young subjects (n = 66).3. Aged subjects were able to ingest Kaihatsu-type and Baby-type. Those Young's modulus were less than 8.56 x 106N/m.4. Young's modulus (x) of rice crackers was significantly related to sum of masseter muscle activity (y), y = 0.15x +1.52 (R2 = 0.83, p <0.05). The harder rice crackers were, the more sum of masseter muscle activity increased.5. The harder rice crackers were, the more those chewing time and sum of masseter muscle activity increased. Because those number of chewing strokes increased.6. Hardness of rice crackers caused trouble for aged subjects at the stage of intake. Harder rice crackers tended to increase first activity of masseter muscle and burst duration per chewing.7. Texture was the most important factor in palatability for rice crackers.8. Both young and aged subjects evaluated that Kaihatsu-type were better than Baby-type in all items of palatability.These results showed that Kaihatsu-type had palatability for aged people and texture properties which were easy to ingest. 高齢者が摂食しやすい米菓の物性と嗜好性を明らかにし, 新たに開発した米菓 (以後開発型) がこれらの特性を満たす米菓かどうかを明らかにする目的で, 米菓の物性測定, 咀嚼筋の筋電図測定および官能評価を行った.対照試料として硬い順に草加型, おかき型, 新潟型, ベビー型の市販品を用いた.得られた結果は以下の通りである.1.高齢被験者にとって, 米菓の摂食可否を決める主な要因は「硬さ」であった.2.米菓の硬さ (見かけのヤング率) は, 草加型> おかき型> 新潟型> 開発型=ベビー型の順であり, 若年被験者 (N=66) の「咀嚼時の硬さ」における官能評価結果と一致していた.3.開発型とベビー型は見かけのヤング率8.56×106N/m以下であり, 高齢被験者でも摂食可能であった.4.見かけのヤング率平均値 (x) と咬筋総活動量平均値 (y) にはy=0.15x+1.52 (R2=0.83) の関係がみられ, 硬い米菓ほど咬筋活動量が増加していた.5.硬い米菓ほど咀嚼回数が増加し, その結果, 咀嚼時間と咬筋総活動量が増加していた.6.高齢被験者にとって, 米菓の硬さは主に捕食時に問題となり, 硬いものほど咬筋の活動時間を延長させ, 咬筋初回活動量を大きくする傾向があった.7.「食感」が, 米菓の嗜好性で最も重要な項目であった.8.嗜好性を評価した全項目で, 若年被験者, 高齢被験者ともに開発型をベビー型より高く評価した.以上の結果から, 開発型は高齢者の嗜好性を満たし, かつ食べやすい物性の米菓であることが明らかとなった.