Journal of Food Processing & Technology

Abstract

A Predictive Model Based on Surface Electromyography to Assess the Easiness of Deglutition of Dysphagia Diets

Yuki Kayanuma, Reiko Ueda, Michiko Minami, Arata Abe, Kazumi Kimura, Junko Funaki, Yoshiro Ishimaru and Tomiko Asakura

Dysphagia diet is used for the people who have disorder of swallowing caused by aging or cerebral arterial diseases. The current standards for dysphagic diets are based on their physical characteristics. However, parameters that reflect the easiness of swallowing are also critical. Here, we developed a method to objectively evaluate the easiness of deglutition. First, we collected 68 terms that describe food textures related to easiness of deglutition, and selected 54 commercial dysphagia diets as samples. Using these terms and samples, we conducted a texture-perception questionnaire survey, and the results were subjected to a correspondence analysis. Referring to the results of this analysis, 10 textures that represent the easiness of deglutition were selected and dysphagia diets corresponding to each texture were selected as well. Then, sensory evaluation and surface electromyography (sEMG) of the anterior triangle of the neck (submental triangle) were recorded using these samples. We developed a predictive model for the easiness of deglutition by applying a partial least squares (PLS) regression technique to the sensory evaluation and sEMG data. Parameter fitting of the cross-validation model was significant (R2, 0.87; RMSE, 0.34). The model accuracy was further investigated by fitting the model to test data, and results were again significant (R2, 0.89; RMSE, 0.10). This indicates that our predictive model using sEMG measurements was highly accurate. Evaluating the easiness of deglutition with this predictive model will help identify and develop new foods that make swallowing easier for patients with dysphagia.