Gelation properties and swallowing characteristics of chia seed gum/fish gelatin composite gels as dysphagia management.

This study investigated the rheological properties and thickening behavior of composite gels formulated with chia seed gum (CSG) and fish gelatin (FG) at 5-10 mg/mL. The findings indicated that adding FG can improve the gel strength of CSG and weak gels forming at 5 mg/mL. The viscosity of the CSG/FG composite gels with 10 mg/mL FG at η50 was 4.73 and 7.17 times higher than individual CSG (10 mg/mL) and FG (5 mg/mL), respectively. The normalized Lissajous-Bowditch curve data further revealed that CSG with FG at 10 mg/mL enhanced structural elasticity. The incorporation of FG into CSG increased the International Dysphagia Diet Standardization Initiative (IDDSI) classification from level 3 to level 5, making the composite system more suitable for dysphagia diets according to the IDDSI framework. Microscopy images revealed that FG incorporation significantly enhanced the density of CSG's gel network, leading to increased viscosity and viscoelastic modulus. This research provided a theoretical basis and offers practical insights for the creation of innovative soft gel-derived products tailored for dysphagia diets.