Food Innovation for Dysphagia: Developing Nutritious and Acceptable Texture-Modified Diets for Older Adults
A special issue of Foods (ISSN 2304-8158). This special issue belongs to the section "Food Nutrition".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 May 2026 | Viewed by 1946
Special Issue Editors
Interests: food safety; nutrition; bioactive components; microorganisms; food analysis; food rheology
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Interests: water quality; organic contaminants; disinfection by-products; pharmaceuticals; microplastics; chromatography; mass spectrometry; materials in contact with drinking water
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
The global increase in aging populations is accompanied by a rising prevalence of nutrition-related health concerns, particularly malnutrition, dehydration, and feeding difficulties. Dysphagia, which significantly affects swallowing ability, is especially relevant in geriatric care, as it compromises both safety and quality of life. Texture-modified diets (TMDs) remain a central strategy for managing dysphagia, helping to prevent aspiration and ensure safer mealtimes. Yet, their implementation poses multiple challenges, including issues of sensory characteristics and acceptance, nutritional adequacy, hydration, long-term adherence, caregiver burden, and barriers to clinical application.
With this Special Issue, we aim to advance the field of food science applied to aging populations by focusing on the development, processing, and optimization of TMDs for individuals with dysphagia. We will place particular emphasis on innovations in formulation, nutrient retention, sensory quality, and shelf stability, showcasing how food technology can directly improve the safety, nutritional adequacy, and acceptability of adapted diets. At the same time, we seek to highlight sustainability and cost-effectiveness in the production of dysphagia-friendly foods, ensuring that solutions are not only scientifically rigorous but also scalable and accessible.
Our goal is to gather multidisciplinary contributions from food science, nutrition, sensory research, clinical practice, and product development, while also addressing the psychosocial and health-related impacts of improved food design. Ultimately, this Special Issue provides a platform to bridge technological innovation with practical application, offering evidence-based strategies that enhance nutritional care, support caregivers, and promote healthier aging and quality of life for older adults worldwide.
The proposed topics are as follows:
- Food Innovation in Texture-Modified Diets (TMDs);
- Nutritional Quality and Functional Attributes of TMDs;
- Sensory Optimization and Consumer Acceptance;
- Food Technology Solutions for Practical Implementation;
- Sustainability and Cost-Effectiveness in Adapted Food Production;
- Interdisciplinary Perspectives Linking Food Science and Geriatric Nutrition.
Prof. Dr. Lídia Pinheiro
Prof. Dr. Cristina Almeida
Guest Editors
Manuscript Submission Information
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Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Foods is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.
Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2900 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.
Keywords
- foods
- texture-modified diets
- nutrition
- dysphagia
- geriatrics
- caregivers
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