Eating Capability of Special Consumers and Texture Design of Special Food

Eating capability (EC) is a term used to represent individual′s ability in food consumption. Consumers with weakened capabilities of eating and drinking may suffer various difficulties during food oral processing. Sometimes specific environmental conditions may also create difficulties of food consumption. Eating difficulty may lead to aspiration, coughing, choking and other health risks. Therefore, foods specially designed according to consumer′s EC are required imperatively in order to ensure safe eating. It is now generally accepted that proper evaluation of EC is very meaningful not only in helping dietary selection to special consumers, but also in guiding food industry in texture design of special food. Unfortunately, no appropriate method and/or technique is currently available for such purpose and texture grading of special food becomes groundless. Therefore, this review aimed to provide new directions and new thinking to the food industry in designing foods for special consumers, by summarizng various health risks of eating and drinking. A concept of ′Eating Safety′ was specifically proposed. Furthermore, it was hoped that the review would give useful guidelines to the food industry in establishing texture standard and designing texture of special food. © 2023 Chinese Institute of Food Science and Technology. All rights reserved.