Intensification of sensory properties of foods for the elderly.

Taste and smell losses in the elderly can reduce appetite and lead to inadequate dietary intake. Although these chemosensory deficits are generally not reversible, sensory interventions including intensification of taste and odor can compensate for perceptual losses. One method for "treatment" of chemosensory losses involves sensory enhancement of foods with flavors and monosodium glutamate (MSG). Amplification of flavor and taste can improve food palatability and acceptance, increase salivary flow and immunity, and reduce oral complaints in both sick and healthy elderly.