Feasibility of elder-friendly food applications of lingonberry ( Vaccinium vitis-idaea L.) according to gelling agent as thickening additives

The purpose of this study was to find nutritional composition of lingonberry and evaluate whether the liquid formulation of lingonberry juice according to gelling agent as thickening additives is applicable as an elder-friendly food. As a result, lingonberry comprised different kinds of nutrients and bioactive materials, as well as beneficial minerals and essential fatty acids, and contained antioxidative and antidiabetic abilities. These results suggest that lingonberry is an excellent health functional food especially suitable for the elderly. Considering the third level of the Korean Industrial Standards (viscosity ≤ 1,500 mPa s), samples added with guar gum 0.341%, xanthan gum 0.596%, and locust bean gum 0.384% are expected to have an appropriate viscosity to help the elderly with dysphagia. In addition, these gelling agents will help the elderly balance nutrition by allowing them to consume better lingonberry juice with high bioactive substances. In particular, among the three gelling agents used in this study, guar gum was found to be easy to adjust its viscosity even with a small amount, which is expected to be particularly helpful economically. These results are important in predicting the desired properties for administration to the elderly with dysphagia who will benefit the most from this formulation. By controlling the formulation parameter with the thickening agent, it is possible to easily produce a formulation having a viscosity suitable for the elderly. In conclusion, the findings of this study strongly suggest that the elderly's food product industry should consider manufacturing liquid gel formulations because it could provide positive health benefit to elderly consumers with dysphagia. Whereas, since this research did not conduct sensory evaluation on the elderly subject to be actually consumed for the final developed product, further studies related to this is expected to be necessary for the elderly's food product industry in the future.