Improvement in rheological and tribology properties of thickened liquids for dysphagia management through the mixing guar gum and xanthan gum at different addition ratios.

The synergistic effect of guar gum (GG) and xanthan gum (XG) can effectively improve food texture, alleviating difficulties faced by dysphagia patients. This study analyzed the thickening effects by preparing various blending ratios of GG and XG (ranging from 0:10 to 10:0). The results showed optimal thickening at GG:XG ratios of 8:2 or 9:1, with high zero shear viscosity (210.20 and 290.08 Pa·s), high η50 (0.223 and 0.183 Pa·s), high yield stress (7.26 and 4.99 Pa), high consistency coefficient (7.32 and 5.17 Pa·sn), high friction coefficient, low flow index (0.09 and 0.10), stable surface tension and density, demonstrating superior sensory quality and swallowing performance. This is likely due to the formation of unique intermolecular interactions and a network structure when GG and XG are blended at these optimal ratios. These findings provide effective references for enhancing the quality of life for dysphagia patients.