Impact of pulse proteins (pea and faba bean) enrichment in cereal products (brioche and sponge cake) designed for aging population on oral processing and in vitro protein digestibility

The objective of this work was to understand, in the elderly, the mechanisms of oral breakdown and bolus formation for two cereal foods (brioche and sponge cake) enriched with pulse proteins (pea and faba bean), in order to develop foods acceptable for the elderly population. The food oral processing (FOP) of these two food products has been studied by imaging and rheology, in connection with the perception of in-mouth comfort and with the oral physiology of seniors. It has been shown that the salivary flow has a major influence on the viscosity of the food bolus, which is itself strongly linked to the perception of comfort for non enriched products. The impact of enrichment on texture depends on the product considered. It modifies the mechanisms of FOP and perception of oral comfort. For sponge cake, this impact can be reduced by adapting the process, with apparently, small impact on protein digestibility evaluated in vitro. This interdisciplinary study therefore leads to recommendations for developing realistic cereal foods, with acceptable sensory properties and meeting the elderly people's nutritional needs. (C) 2020 Societe francaise de nutrition. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.