Dr. Araiza-Calahorra publishes a new paper in Food Research International on Oral processing and oral comfort appreciation of whey-enriched dairy products by older adults

Dr. Andrea Araiza-Calahorra (ex Postdoctoral Fellow, Eat4Age Project) publishes her new work on oral processing and oral comfort of dairy-based products by older adults in Food Research International. In this work led by INRAE,  France, this study demonstrates how whey protein-enriched dairy products prototypes, resembling respectively a yoghurt and a cream cheese are suitable from  asensorial perspective for older adults. Prototypes and in vitro boli were characterized instrumentally (rheology and tribology) and in vivo data on oral processing (microscopical characterization of expectorated boli) and oral comfort (sensory questionnaire) were acquired on a panel of 80 older adults (aged 65–89 years, mean age = 76 ± 6 y, mean). Strikingly,  tribological measurements showed that as compared to the yoghurt prototypes, the cheese prototypes showed higher lubrication properties, which even increased in presence of model saliva. Microscopical observations of boli produced in vivo confirmed that larger fat droplets were formed by coalescence during food oral processing of the cheese prototype. In-mouth time residency and insalivation rates suggested that both prototypes required very little oral manipulation before swallowing. The sensory attributes sticky, pasty and melting were those contributing most to the oral comfort, but both prototypes were judged as very comfortable to eat independently of the dental status and salivary flow of the subjects. Overall, this study suggests that whey-enriched dairy products would be suitable as part of a diet aiming at optimizing protein intake in older adults. The full text can be found in Food Research International, Volume 221, Article 117468: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodres.2025.117468