A model experiment to understand the oral phase of swallowing of Newtonian liquids

A model experiment to understand the oral phase of swallowing is presented and used to explain some of the mechanisms controlling the swallowing of Newtonian liquids. The extent to which the flow is slowed down by increasing the viscosity of the liquid or the volume is quantitatively studied. The effect of the force used to swallow and of the gap between the palate and the roller used to represent the contracted tongue are also quantified. The residual mass of liquid left after the model swallow rises strongly when increasing the gap and is independent of bolus volume and applied force. An excessively high viscosity results in higher residues, besides succeeding in slowing down the bolus flow. A realistic theory is developed and used to interpret the experimental observations, highlighting the existence of an initial transient regime, at constant acceleration, that can be followed by a steady viscous regime, at constant velocity. The effect of the liquid viscosity on the total oral transit time is lower when the constant acceleration regime dominates bolus flow. Our theory suggests also that tongue inertia is the cause of the higher pressure observed at the back of the tongue in previous studies. The approach presented in this study paves the way toward a mechanical model of human swallowing that would facilitate the design of novel, physically sound, dysphagia treatments and their preliminary screening before in vivo evaluations and clinical trials

In vivo observations and in vitro experiments on the oral phase of swallowing of Newtonian and shear-thinning liquids

In this study, an in vitro device that mimics the oral phase of swallowing is calibrated using in vivo measurements. The oral flow behavior of different Newtonian and non-Newtonian solutions is then investigated in vitro, revealing that shear-thinning thickeners used in the treatment of dysphagia behave very similarly to low-viscosity Newtonian liquids during active swallowing, but provide better control of the bolus before the swallow is initiated. A theoretical model is used to interpret the experimental results and enables the identification of two dynamical regimes for the flow of the bolus: first, an inertial regime of constant acceleration dependent on the applied force and system inertia, possibly followed by a viscous regime in which the viscosity governs the constant velocity of the bolus. This mechanistic understanding provides a plausible explanation for similarities and differences in swallowing performance of shear-thinning and Newtonian liquids. Finally, the physiological implications of the model and experimental results are discussed. In vitro and theoretical results suggest that individuals with poor tongue strength are more sensitive to overly thickened boluses. The model also suggests that while the effects of system inertia are significant, the density of the bolus itself plays a negligible role in its dynamics. This is confirmed by experiments on a high density contrast agent used for videofluoroscopy, revealing that rheologically matched contrast agents and thickener solutions flow very similarly. In vitro experiments and theoretical insights can help designing novel thickener formulations before clinical evaluations

Pediatric feeding and swallowing rehabilitation: An overview

Children with neurological disabilities frequently have problems with feeding and swallowing. Such problems have a significant impact on the health and well-being of these children and their families. The primary aims in the rehabilitation of pediatric feeding and swallowing disorders are focused on supporting growth, nutrition and hydration, the development of feeding activities, and ensuring safe swallowing with the aim of preventing choking and aspiration pneumonia. Pediatric feeding and swallowing disorders can be divided into four groups: transient, developmental, chronic or progressive. This article provides an overview of the available literature about the rehabilitation of feeding and swallowing disorders in infants and children. Principles of motor control, motor learning and neuroplasticity are discussed for the four groups of children with feeding and swallowing disorders

Using quantitative descriptive analysis and temporal dominance of sensations analysis as complementary methods for profiling commercial blackcurrant squashes

Quantitative descriptive analysis (QDA) is used to describe the nature and the intensity of sensory properties from a single evaluation of a product, whereas temporal dominance of sensation (TDS) is primarily used to identify dominant sensory properties over time. Previous studies with TDS have focused on model systems, but this is the first study to use a sequential approach, i.e. QDA then TDS in measuring sensory properties of a commercial product category, using the same set of trained assessors (n = 11). The main objectives of this study were to: (1) investigate the benefits of using a sequential approach of QDA and TDS and (2) to explore the impact of the sample composition on taste and flavour perceptions in blackcurrant squashes. The present study has proposed an alternative way of determining the choice of attributes for TDS measurement based on data obtained from previous QDA studies, where available. Both methods indicated that the flavour profile was primarily influenced by the level of dilution and complexity of sample composition combined with blackcurrant juice content. In addition, artificial sweeteners were found to modify the quality of sweetness and could also contribute to bitter notes. Using QDA and TDS in tandem was shown to be more beneficial than each just on its own enabling a more complete sensory profile of the products

Modelling of the phase change kinetics of cocoa butter in chocolate and application to confectionary manufacturing

Efforts have been devoted over the last decades towards modelling phase change kinetics of fats in chocolate. The fats in chocolate have a number of crystal forms and manufacturers must deliver a product with the right polymorph to the consumer. In this work a simplifed mathematical model was developed that clusters six polymorphs into two, namely stable and unstable, depending on their Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) and X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) characteristics. This simplification allowed the phase change kinetics to be estimated from a set of DSC experiments conducted at different cooling and heating rates. The phase change reactions were coupled with the heat transfer equation and used to model temperature profiles and concentration of polymorphs in a model geometry. The model was able to predict both the temperature profiles measured by thermocouples ($\pm$2$^\circ$C ) and the fat crystals concentration as measured using XRD ($\pm$10%) at various locations in a chocolate slab. The model was applied to the recently developed processes using very high cooling rates such as the FrozenCone process, to explain their capabilities to produce "good" chocolate in spite of the high cooling rates used. Such modelling was not possible with existing models, which usually deal with either heat transfer or isothermal crystallisation kinetics. The main outcomes of this work are (i) the coupling of the reactions kinetics with heat transfer which can be expanded to other processes, (ii) the novel XRD method and (iii) the application to fast cooling processes and their explanation