Odor Identification by Parkinson’s Disease Patients Tested by Using Sniffin’ Sticks versus Natural Spices

Introduction

Hyposmia is a frequent symptom of Parkinson's disease (PD), which greatly impacts patients' flavor perception and their quality of life. However, PD patients recognize some odors better than others. Identifying which food odors are still recognized by PD patients may be useful for flavor enhancement. Our aim was to evaluate the olfactory identification of Sniffin' Sticks and spice odorants in PD patients and healthy controls (HC), to identify the impact of synthetic odorants compared with real-life food and the impact of odor familiarity and pleasantness on odorant identification in PD patients.

Methods

Sniffin' Sticks odorant identification was evaluated in 80 PD patients and 105 age-matched HC. In a subset, the spice odorant identification was evaluated.

Results

The mean total score was higher for the Sniffin' Sticks than for the spice odor identification test in all participants (55.4% versus 22.5%). Sniffin' Sticks orange, peppermint, rose, and fish odorants were best correctly identified by PD patients, by 62.5, 53.8, 52.9, and 57.5%, respectively. Of the spice odor identification test, garlic and “no stimulus” were best correctly identified by PD patients, by, respectively, 38.2 and 67.6%. HC identified most Sniffin' Sticks odorants and spices better than PD patients. Odorant familiarity determined real-life food odorant identification.

Conclusion

This study demonstrates that some food odorants, both the commercial Sniffin' Sticks as natural odorants, are still recognized by PD patients. Sniffin' Sticks were better recognized compared with real-life odorants, by both HC and PD patients. Odorant familiarity determined PD patients' odorant identification; therefore, familiar food odorants may have potential for a future flavor enhancement. Implications. This is the first study, to our knowledge, to evaluate real-life food odor identification in PD patients. Our results provide a first step towards patient-appropriate flavor enhancement strategies in PD.

Food for the elderly based on sensory perception: A review

Background

The impairments of physiological functions caused by aging are common problems in the elderly, especially the impairments of sensory perception. Besides, close relationship between food sensory perception and nutritional status also suggests the importance of dietary management for the elderly population. The foods taking sensory perception into account are urgently needed by the elderly.

Scope and approach

This review analyzed sensory perception changes and their effects on food behaviors and nutritional status. Besides, sensory properties essential for aged-foods and acquisition methods, as well as current status of such foods were summarized.

Key findings and conclusions

Soft, smooth and moisty foods were more suitable for the elderly with chewing and swallowing dysfunction, which can be prepared by gelation, enzyme treatment, blade tenderization and other non-thermal technologies. Flavor enhancement/enrichment, irritant addition and packet sauces were recommended to compensate the impairment of chemical sensory. Molds, piping bag and 3D printing were suggested for refining appearance of pureed foods, and improving appetite of the elderly.

•

Sensory perception changes of the elderly affect food behaviors and health.

•

Soft, smooth, and moisty foods are more suitable for the elderly.

•

Gelation and enzyme treatment are applied to modify the texture of aged food.

•

Packet sauces may meet the heterogenetic flavor requirements of the elderly.

•

Visually attractive food made by 3D printing can increase the appetite of elderly.

Relationship among oral health status, bolus formation and food comfortability during consumption of model cheeses in elderly

The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of oral impairment on chewing behaviour, food bolus properties and food comfortability during elderly consumption of model cheeses. Seventy-two elderly persons (aged 66 to 88) was recruited and classified into two groups according to dental status (poor vs. satisfactory). They showed a wide range of salivary flow rates whatever their dental status (stimulated: 0.2-3.8 mL min^-1, resting: 0.1-0.8 mL min^-1). Standardized bites of four model cheeses with an identical composition but different textures (soft, hard, processed and whipped) were tested. The time and number of chewing cycles required to form a bolus were measured. The rheological properties of the bolus were studied, as was saliva moistening. Food comfortability was assessed by means of a questionnaire composed of 5 sections (1-oral comfort, 2-bolus formation, 3-pain, 4-texture and 5-flavour perception). The chewing parameters measured were not modified by the oral health. However, elderly with poor dentition formed harder boluses than elderly with satisfactory dentition. Moreover, for elderly with poor dentition, the quantity of saliva incorporated into the bolus was correlated with the stimulated salivary flow rate, which was not the case for elderly with satisfactory dentition. General oral comfort and its different attributes were poorly associated with the oral health of the elderly. A multifactorial analysis performed on an average cheese showed that food comfortability is independent of changes in the hardness and moistening of the bolus, regardless of dental status. In particular, poor dental status increases the hardness of the bolus without modifying its comfortability.

"A Bone of Contention…": Perceived Barriers and Situational Dependencies to Food Preferences of Nursing Home Residents

This study investigated barriers to fulfilling food preferences from nursing home (NH) residents' perspectives, and the reasons preferences changed (situational dependencies). Interviews were completed with 255 residents in 28 NHs across greater Philadelphia, PA using six food items from the Preferences for Everyday Living Inventory-NH (PELI-NH). Participants were predominantly white (77%), female (67.8%), and widowed (44%) with high school educations (48%). Content analysis was used to identify n = 386 barriers and n = 57 situational dependencies. Participants reported provider policies and staff proficiency as environmental barriers to preference fulfillment regarding what, when, and where to eat. Perceived health and personal resources were barriers to obtaining snacks, take-out, and dining out. Situational dependencies resulted from residents' perceived health and quality of family relationships. Results have implications for providers to centralize food preference fulfillment in care planning, and to use food preferences to address dining quality concerns.

Odor-Specific Loss of Smell Sensitivity with Age as Revealed by the Specific Sensitivity Test

The perception of odor mixtures plays an important role in human food intake, behavior, and emotions. Decline of smell acuity with normal aging could impact food perception and preferences at various ages. However, since the landmark Smell Survey by National Geographic, little has been elucidated on differences in the onset and extent of loss in olfactory sensitivity toward single odorants. Here, using the Specific Sensitivity test, we show the onset and extent of loss in both identification and detection thresholds of odorants with age are odorant-specific. Subjects of Chinese descent in Singapore (186 women, 95 men), aged 21-80 years, were assessed for olfactory sensitivity of 10 odorants from various odor groups. Notably, subjects in their 70s required 179 times concentration of rose-like odorant (2-phenylethanol) than subjects in the 20s, while thresholds for onion-like 2-methyloxolane-3-thiol only differed by 3 times between the age groups. In addition, identification rate for 2-phenylethanol was negatively correlated with age throughout adult life whereas mushroom-like oct-1-en-3-ol was equally identified by subjects across all ages. Our results demonstrated the girth of differentiated olfactory loss due to normal ageing, which potentially affect overall perception and preferences of odor mixtures with age.

Cross-modal interactions for custard desserts differ in obese and normal weight Italian women

The effects of variation in odors and thickening agents on sensory properties and acceptability of a model custard dessert were investigated in normal weight and obese women. Subjects rated their liking and the intensity of sensory properties (sweetness, vanilla and butter flavors, and creaminess) of 3 block samples (the first varied in vanilla aroma, the second varied in butter aroma and the third varied in xanthan gum). Significant differences were found in acceptability and intensity ratings in relation to body mass index. The addition of butter aroma in the custard was the most effective way to elicit odor-taste, odor-flavor and odor-texture interactions in obese women. In this group, butter aroma, signaling energy dense products, increased the perception of sweetness, vanilla flavor and creaminess, which are all desirable properties in a custard, while maintaining a high liking degree. Understanding cross-modal interactions in relation to nutritional status is interesting in order to develop new food products with reduced sugar and fat, that are still satisfying for the consumer. This could have important implications to reduce caloric intake and tackle the obesity epidemic.