A Preliminary Study of How the Viscosity of Dietary Fluids and Videofluoroscopy Fluids can be Matched.

This study examined the method by which the viscosity of mealtime and videofluoroscopy fluid can be matched through adjustment of the amount of xanthan gum-based thickener added to them. Viscosity measurement was made with a cone-plate viscometer. Samples were tested at 5, 25, 45, and 65 ± 0.1 °C and shear rates of 5-200 s(-1). We found that the adjusted amount of thickener differs depending on the shear rate and temperature, and that the amount of thickener added to samples without barium sulfate should be increased by 26.8-37.5 % as compared to samples with barium sulfate at a shear rate of 50 s(-1) and temperature of 25 °C. Further research is needed in terms of the shear rate and temperature during swallowing.